Code Geass: DC al coda
by UndyingSpirit
Summary: Completed What exactly went on during the time skips of the story? Only those involved know, now they tell the story. Set during the last four or so months of the story, but delves into the previous skips. Rated T for violence/language.
1. Changing The World, At Any Cost

'_Ah yes, this is how it will all start. The world will soon turn in the right direction now.'_

The sound of the blade being drawn was profoundly amplified by the silence of the audience. The Demon King himself was silenced too by the sheer thought of his mortality coming all too eagerly onto him. But it was a fate he deemed for himself, and no one will truly understand why any person would do such a thing.

Only the king knew why…

'_Yes, it all had started from that day…'_

**

* * *

**

Two months ago…

It had been weeks since Lelouch took the world by surprise by taking control over the Damocles battleship. He swiftly subjugated most of the remnants of the E.U. and other foreign countries willing enough to stand against the might of the king. It is also known that he managed to detain and imprison both Schneizel and Nunnally, who at the time were at his mercy.

His forces remained dominant throughout the battles they fought, despite the loss of the famed Knight of Zero. At the time, most of the resistance groups, including the Black Knights, were destroyed. Some battles were still being fought between the Black Knights and the Britannian Army.

The capital of Britannia, Pendragon, known to have been blown away by a F.L.E.I.A. warhead, still remains a crater, left in place as a testament to the destruction of the past, Charles's past world. A new palace had been built fairly quickly given the timespan, within the mountain side overlooking Pendragon's devastation. It was here that Lelouch, the Demon King, would rule over the land.

Lelouch sat upon the throne, contemplating the next few moves towards dictating the world. His methods so far were swift and brutal; dominating the countries with military might. However, his methods seemed so cliché, even for himself. He needed to show the world how the ones who hold power would become if given the chance. His methods needed to strike a tone in the people's hearts.

A knocking came echoing into the throne room.

"Enter" spoke the king in a seemingly benevolent manner.

The person who came through the doors was just another lowly soldier in his army.

"My lord, I have urgent news."

"Speak"

"The Frontline Reconnaissance Group has sighted resistance in various countries. They believe it to be the last of the resistance groups left."

"Good…Have them subdue these pitiful groups. Tell them to take in the commanders and generals."

"And what of the soldiers?"

Lelouch sighed. "What use do we have for more soldiers?"

"Yes, my lord."

Lelouch smiled as he rose from the seat.

"My lord, there is one more piece I have to give you."

"What is it?"

"The reports say that some of the guerillas are Black Knight soldiers."

Much to his delight, Lelouch kept himself calm.

"Have the major figures captured, and the rest killed."

"Understood" said the soldier before leaving the room.

To Lelouch, it was child's play to have to face the resistance groups. And the mentioning of the Black Knights made him all too willing to annihilate the last remnants of his past life. He had walked toward one of the doorways on the side of the room and exited. Coming into the dark, green-lit hallway, Lelouch found himself wondering what the next atrocity he should use to furthering his goal. As he progressed down the corridor, a familiar figure appeared, resting upon the corner of a turn to another hallway.

"My, aren't you being the benevolent-ish dictator?" spoke the figure in a sarcastic manner.

"I will do so to make my goal a reality, C.C."

C.C. smirked and joined him in his little stroll. Down the next hallway the walls began to change into newer, mechanical schemes. Out of the corridor, the two stood in a gigantic room filled with chambers; a more jail-like feel had entered their minds, also contributing to the effect were the many prisoners Lelouch had captured in the final raids of the countries. Some of the prisoners were loud, howling like dogs at the king before them. Others were silent but emitted anger through their tucked lips. Lelouch didn't mind the glares and hatred, and neither did C.C. All were strapped and trapped in their cells and could do nothing but show hatred. Lelouch just smiled, trying to hold in the insane laughter within him.

"C.C., do you think my methods are good enough?"

C.C. glanced at Lelouch for a moment, hoping not to see the defeated look of futility in Lelouch's face. But she knew him far too much to expect such a trivial thing.

"Honestly? I find your methods exceptionally absurd."

"Oh, and how is that?"

The two turned down another corridor.

"It is not nearly as ruthless as what I have experienced in my life."

Lelouch scoffed, but understood the depth of her words.

"So, I have to become even more loathsome to the people?"

"You could do a bit more, just to find that one spark you are looking for."

"And by spark, you mean hatred?"

C.C. sighed and nodded. Lelouch turned his head toward the next few cells he passed by. The more they traveled down further, the more desolate the prisoners were getting. Each was beginning to lose strength, but it felt like looking at a flip book; each cell that they passed the more the changes became visible. There were hardly anymore howling from the prisoners and more of silence from each one. Lelouch thought to himself. _'These are the faces of leaders torn from their status and reduced to nothing more than captives. It is indeed pitiful to come here and look at them.' _Lelouch felt a bit disgusted at how they were in terms of being human. _'I know, I'll use them in the next scheme. That should help in my plans.'_

Lelouch and C.C. traveled far more into the prison quarters of the palace. Near to their stop, Lelouch began to see old, familiar faces. The comrades he had once known, the friends he had made, and the people he could've trusted the most; all were now in cells, prisoners to the Demon King himself. He did not look at them for if he did…somewhere in his mind he knew that things could not be absolved between any of them. He was afraid that if he saw them, his plans would certainly fall. He could not let that happen, not when the objective was so close. He would just have to bear it before the final phase is implemented.

They had eventually reached their destination; the global map room. As they entered the room and closed the doors behind them, Lelouch had gazed at the giant screen in front of him. There were helpers in the room as well, though obviously enslaved by Lelouch's geass power. They were instructed to maintain a lookout on the world, nothing else. Lelouch smiled at such obedience.

"Status check" commanded Lelouch.

As the helpers continued to analyze the data, each spoke when required.

"Countries under complete control have been subjugated."

"The Britannian Army divisions have reached destination points and are on standby."

"Suspicious activity in several problem countries detected. Waiting on further orders."

"Resistance groups appearing, what is your command, sir?"

Lelouch paused for a moment. Now was the time to show the world the power of Britannia. He slowly brought his hand up to the side of his head and with the sweeping motion he had used every time before, he gave the word.

"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you, show them the might of the King and demolish the ones who stand in the way! All hail Britannia!"

"All hail Britannia!"

Lelouch was then struck with vivid imagery. He could just imagine how the battles would turn out; each of his soldiers fighting against the Resistance. Loud bombs exploded as his troops began to press forward. Those piloting armored suits were sweeping over the few groups left, trampling over their metal coffins crudely made from destroyed suits. Ground troops in gunfights, blood of both sides being spilt upon the wasteland. Defenseless people cowered in fear while those who resisted were immediately executed regardless of where and whom was around. Chaos ensued as cities burned to the ground.

And it was he who had brought destruction to the world; it was due to his ambition that people will suffer. Lelouch could no longer help himself and allowed the insanity to engulf his being. He soon laughed like a madman. Each report of victory added more to the nihilistic glee that Lelouch had adopted. Even C.C. had to admit that he had gone mad at some point, but not for the sake of world domination. She was both awestruck and yet somewhat fearful of what Lelouch had to do to get here. It was a fate he could have avoided, but it was more of wishful thinking on her part. But all throughout the laughter, she stayed silent, knowing full well that his goal needed this.

Yet, even to her knowledge, she did not see what really stood out. She never saw the lonely tear falling from Lelouch's face.

**A week later…**

The last few remnants of the resistance groups were all but vanquished. Lelouch had now conquered the world completely. All had eventually bowed down to the power he wielded. To make them completely understand the might he had, Lelouch held public executions for most of his prisoners. The people were horrified at his methods of each execution, utilizing both modern and old customs of killing to induce fear into the hearts of many. The people understood now that Lelouch had complete control over their fates and soon the fates of their countries.

Lelouch had been sitting in his throne for some time, waiting for news and other what not from his messengers. Beside him were C.C. and his recently appointed personal knight, Jeremiah Gottwald. At the knighting session, Lelouch had appointed him to the third highest rank, underneath both Lelouch and C.C. As usual, Jeremiah was thrilled to become higher ranking, but more importantly happy to be closer in his previous master's favor.

The three talked strategy about what to do now that the world was under Britannian control. Their talks included further execution orders and new ways to cause more fear and hatred. Suddenly, a messenger came through the doors.

"My lord! I bring urgent news!"

The three settled into calmer modes.

"You may speak."

"There is a prison uprising!"

This brought the group some confusion.

"How is that possible?!"

"What should we do my lord?"

"Put down the uprising! Bring them to their knees! Kill whoever is responsible!"

"Understood" and thus the messenger left.

Lelouch looked toward his knight. "Go and help them out. Don't kill those who hold influence to countries."

"Yes, my lord." With that, Jeremiah left in a flash. Lelouch sat back down in his throne.

"What do you make of the uprising?" spoke C.C.

"I'll say this; whoever started it has got some nerve doing so. But it doesn't matter whether they rebel against me or not. Let's just handle this like any other situation."

Moments later, Jeremiah had returned.

"Well, who was it that started the revolt?"

"It…well…"

"Spit it out already."

"It was one of the soldiers my lord."

This came as a shock to both Lelouch and C.C.

"What do you mean? It can't possibly be one of my soldiers…"

"I know it was impossible too, but it was indeed one of our soldiers. They helped a few of the prisoners out of their cells, but we subdued them and place them back into their cells. As for the soldier, we have restrained him."

"Good…" Lelouch felt a bit uneasy at how things turned out, but felt a bit lucky that they had kept the culprit alive. "Bring him to me. I want to see his face."

Jeremiah nodded and opened the door, revealing two guards holding a soldier by the arms. The soldier was struggling to get free, but it was to no avail. Lelouch approached the man, looking a bit impressed by the audacity of the soldier.

"I'm surprised that one of my own soldiers rebelled against me."

"Let me go, let me go!"

Lelouch nodded to one of the guards and soon a fist met the stomach of the soldier. Lelouch had grasped the man's chin and pulled his face up. He gazed deeply into the eyes of the soldier and sighed while smiling.

"We must make an example out of you."

With a snap of his fingers, the guards took the soldier away, kicking and screaming. Another soldier went up to Lelouch.

"What should we do to him, my lord?"

Lelouch smirked. "Have him publicly executed in front of our men to set an example. Give him a brutal death."

"What method sir?"

"Fill him with lead."

"Understood, sir."

Moments later, the soldier was brutalized in front of the servants. Lelouch himself went down to see the execution, and to put in a few words before the commencement.

"This execution is to demonstrate my power over your lives. Remember this before you act like the fool here. I am the king, and all shall obey me. Anyone who dare defies me will be swiftly taken care of."

The executioners, mere soldiers themselves, raised and poised their guns at the traitor. Lelouch had flicked his hand in his usual manner and soon the soldiers fired. It was a brutal sight to see; each bullet ran through the man and grazed his features. But there was no end to the hail of bullets. It came to the point that even some of the traitor's features were blown away with the bullets; his limbs were like shredded meat, his face was rendered unrecognizable, his body full of holes resembling that of Swiss cheese. At last, the bullets stopped, and the soldier now was reduced to a pile of blood, guts, and lead. As the attendants moved the bloody heap, parts of the soldier began to fall off, held together only by a few sinews and bone.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you. If you are not with me, then you will be executed. Do you understand?!"

"Yes, my lord!" resounded the crowd.

"All hail Britannia!"

"All hail Britannia!"

Later on that night, Lelouch found himself near to his wits' end. It was an atrocity that even he did not know that he was capable of committing. But he could not let himself turn back now. But the gruesome sight was a bit too much for him and thus he vomited in horror in the bathroom. Afterwards, he gazed at himself in the mirror. He then remembered what Nunnally had said the day he conquered the Damocles.

'_Brother, you are the devil!'_

It was true, he did become the devil. In the mirror, he could no longer recognize his face. The facial features, the hair and the eyes were both his own and not his own. The devil was staring back at him, and even though Lelouch held steadfast, he couldn't help but feel a bit depressed at how he became what he was now.

"You were right. I am truly the devil, Nunnally."

He soon went back to bed disgusted and worn out from his life. He wished that it didn't take this long to complete his final plan. But it was a reality he had to deal with, and no amount of comfort could tell him otherwise.

To be continued…if that is to be desired…

A/N: Well, that's a good first chapter. This is my latest story thought about what might've happened between the two months when Lelouch become Emperor of the World. Hopefully I will be able to finish this as well. Thanks for your support.


	2. What May Come, What May Be

The next day had begun. It was raining outside. Lelouch sought to sleep through the cloudy morning, hoping that today would be just like any other day. The palace was not in an uproar, neither were the countries Britannia had taken over. If not for the rain, it would be just a "peaceful" kind of day.

To Lelouch, he had found peace when he slept in the mornings, despite his previous routine of waking up early and sleeping in class. But in his bed, the widespread, king-sized bed of his, he found it ironically comforting. Adding to his pleasure was the fact that he alone slept in that bed. Of course, that was only when C.C. decided to sleep in the separate room she was given. At times, he found it annoying that she'd sleep in his bed without noticing. But it was something that he could not control, so he let her be.

He arose from his bed, feeling a bit groggy by both the rain and the lingering bitterness from last night. He scanned the room over and over.

"Ah, alone again" he silently whispered to himself, feeling the nostalgia coming back.

It reminded him of when he was in school. When he woke up, it was mostly, if not always to the sight of solitude. He'd surely leave his bed tidy, trying not to burden Sayoko with too much since she was basically his "maid".

'More like a mother actually' he added to his thoughts.

Sure, she was always keeping things tidy for the two, but it never seemed to be like she was an actual maid for them. And even though she was of Japanese descent, popularly know at the time as just another "eleven", she remained near, if not totally equal to them. They needed her not for the constant maintenance, but for the motherly care and love they could hardly remember when their own mother was still alive. Now, it was just another memory that he can only keep due to the fact that he had her imprisoned in the prison block of the palace.

So, in silence, he made his bed and tidied his room a bit, feeling a bit bitter at how things must be.

Breakfast was served like any other day, minus the love.

After breakfast, Lelouch strolled back to his room to dress in his "royal" clothing. Afterwards, he headed towards the throne room, to wait for updates and to convene meetings.

At the throne room, Lelouch spotted C.C. standing by the door, holding her "Cheese-kun" plush doll to her chest like a little girl. But to Lelouch, it was just how she is back when she first had the plush doll

"You weren't at the breakfast table…" spoke Lelouch in his usual manner.

C.C. glanced at him. "I wasn't hungry, that's all."

"Fine by me" replied Lelouch.

The two hushed their little talk and opened the doors. As usual, the palace guards stood, rank and file, alongside the boundaries of the red carpet below their feet. When the two neared their seats, they saw Jeremiah standing to greet them both and motioned for the doors to be closed. As they took their seats, an envoy came up and bowed before them.

"Give your report" commanded Lelouch in a king-like fashion.

"Your Majesty, several squabbles in a few countries broke out, but was quickly subdued by the soldiers stationed there. Due to some recent violence in those areas, few have begun to protest against your rule."

"Have the soldiers remind them of who they are exactly protesting against."

"Yes sir. Also, there have been a number of reports saying that there is a resistance group forming. Intel has received reports of suspicious activity taking place in few places."

"Send a few spies into the next few meetings they spot taking place. I want to know exactly what they are doing. Have them place a few taps in each of the rendezvous points. If the meeting takes more than half an hour, have the spies signal a raid through their intercoms. Have each person arrested and executed in front of the public. It would also be more effective to execute them during the next protest. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Is there anything else?"

"No sir, there is nothing else to report."

"Good, now all of you be gone!"

"Yes, my lord!"

When the soldiers were gone, the three began to convene their own meeting.

"Are there any reports on our own soldiers?"

"So far, not one has been detected since yesterday" stated Jeremiah.

"I'm pretty sure that their will has been fortified by yesterday's event. None would dare double-cross you."

"Still, I find it hard to believe that such a person was in my army."

"Not everyone can tolerate a dictator, much less work for one" noted C.C.

"Hush your tongue, witch!" retorted Jeremiah in haste.

"Jeremiah, C.C. is right."

"But my lord…"

Lelouch let himself fall back into the chair.

"It is true that not many can tolerate what I am doing to the world. I have not forgotten why I must do these things as well. I trust that both of you have not forgotten as well. What I do must be tolerated for now. The people must endure this dictatorship that I have created; my goal requires that they do so."

"Yes, my lord" replied Jeremiah in a somewhat bitter manner. It was not because he had been notified of the goal, but it was because of the part he too must play for the plan.

Lelouch felt a bit constricted by the atmosphere of the room. Talking about his plan always did. So, Lelouch rose from his chair.

"I'm going to go see if our other accomplice is feeling okay."

Both C.C. and Jeremiah knew who Lelouch was referring to and excused themselves from the room. Soon, Lelouch had also left the room, but through a door behind the throne itself.

Down a corridor or two, the setting began to turn into a more natural feel. The corridor itself was still modern, but became surrounded by glass. Outside was more natural than the inside itself. Outside, the setting was natural; grass-covered land with trees growing as well. The sun was out, shining through the glass corridor. Further down the corridor was a steel door. When Lelouch opened the door, the room itself resembled that of a hospital room. In the bed was a person sitting up.

"I'm glad to see that you are awake" said Lelouch in a happy manner.

The person smiled back.

"How long have I been out?"

"Around a month probably…I was beginning to think that you had really died."

The person scoffed. "Not while I have the geass that you placed on me, Lelouch."

"I guess that's true."

For a moment the two laughed at the possibilities, but then turned serious in a snap.

"You wouldn't have died by that anyways. You still have a purpose to serve Suzaku, right?"

"Yeah, I didn't forget about that." Suzaku scratched his head in slight irritation. "And for that reason, I couldn't let myself die so early. But I was surprised at Kallen's will, even more so when she landed that cheap shot to the Lancelot. I thought I was a goner, had I not opened the hatch at the last minute."

"You do have a knack for close-calls don't you?"

"Ah, someday it will get me killed."

"Thankfully it wasn't that time yet. When we found you, you were bleeding from the head quite a lot. So I had some doctors patch you up and now here you are."

"Yeah"

Lelouch and Suzaku sat quietly beside each other. It was funny how both managed to make miracles happen for themselves. Close-calls or not, each had the will to live through anything.

"How is everyone?"

"Oh, they are being held in the prison block of the palace. Yup, the world is now in my hands. All bow down to me, their ruler. The countries have fallen into ruin and many are living in fear of my fist."

To Suzaku, it seemed that the goal was in reach, and that he should be happy. But somewhere, he felt a bit saddened at how things must turn out. He could sense the sad sarcasm in Lelouch's voice, but never spoke a word about it.

"What about Nunnally?"

Lelouch felt a sting when he heard his sister's name.

"She too is held in a cell."

It took most of Suzaku's will to force him not to hit Lelouch. It was cruel to hear and imagine Nunnally in a cell; chained up and withering away.

"I've done all I could to keep her in good condition. She says nothing to me anymore. When I pass by, I look at her and see her with her head down. I know she is disappointed in me, and it pains me to keep her like that. Every time I see her like that…It takes me a while to keep myself from freeing her."

Lelouch lowered his head.

"Our friends too…They look at me with such sad and angry faces. It is tolerable to see them like that, but it too is hard to bear. If I were any other person, I would not be able to handle the stress."

Lelouch soon felt his head fall into his hands.

"Lelouch…"

"But Nunnally was right Suzaku."

"What?"

"Back on the Damocles, I confronted Nunnally. Did you know that she was the one who fired the F.L.E.I.A. warheads?"

This took Suzaku by surprise.

"I couldn't believe that she had fired them. She told me that I had the face of a murderer, and so did she. She told me all sorts of things Suzaku."

Suzaku remained speechless as Lelouch continued to talk.

"She told me that she would've had been better off had we stayed like we were back then. She'd rather have a life of running and hiding than the gentle world she wanted, the world we can give to her. She said that geass was vile and that it twisted the people's hearts, I know that to be true. She had become headstrong in her beliefs. She even said that her goal for the Damocles was for hatred to gather there, and therefore would not give the key to the Damocles up."

Suzaku had understood what Nunnally was doing, but still had more doubt at that sort of plan; to have the Damocles become a symbol.

"So I used my geass on her."

At that moment, Suzaku felt a bit enraged by that fact. But he waited to hear the whole story.

"I only used it on her to gain the key. I had to do so. But she struggled against it, just like Euphie."

"When you told her to kill the Japanese?"

"Yes. That show of resistance reminded me of how Euphie was at that moment. You don't know how painful it was to see Nunnally doing the same thing. But like Euphie, she gave in and handed the key over to me. I had done the one thing that I thought I would never have to do to her. But what she said afterwards was true."

"What did she say to you?"

"She…" Lelouch paused, shuttering at the feeling of being reminded of that moment.

"She came after me in her wheelchair. I had reached the steps below and knew she could not get to me. She screamed for me to wait, but I did not, and she fell out of her wheelchair and onto the steps. I looked back, hoping that she wasn't injured. It was hard to keep my composure because of that. But she struggled to raise her head. And then…"

"Then what?"

Lelouch remembered that event. Rather, he could never forget it. In his mind echoed the words she spoke.

'_Brother, you are the devil!'_

"She said I was the devil."

Suzaku was shocked to even hear the words coming from Lelouch. To think that Nunnally would even utter such words, even to Lelouch, was a bit deplorable to Suzaku. Despite that, Suzaku remembered that he once said something similar to Lelouch as well. It was a very vivid memory to him, since it was one of the most shocking things he'd ever seen. He remembered back when he found out that Lelouch was Zero.

'_You are a mistake, Lelouch. Your very existence is a mistake.'_

"I was betrayed again. Everyone had betrayed me; my parents, my friends, even you and Nunnally. And worst of all, I had betrayed everyone, including myself. So in a sense, you and Nunnally were right."

"Whether it was or not, you have to-"

"Live on? Face it, I'm a pathetic person. I'm the devil himself. And I will stay a devil because of the fate I chose for myself."

The room began to fill with an awkward, depressing silence. Suzaku felt helpless when seeing his friend descend into a possible state of depression. It was hard enough to grasp what Lelouch was already feeling, but to understand what it means to be betrayed by everything is a bit too much to handle.

"Do you remember, what you told me back at the shrine?"

Suzaku turned his head toward his friend.

"You told me to make the lies I told true…"

"Oh that…"

"Kallen told me something similar to that…"

"What did she tell you?"

Lelouch had contemplated on what Kallen did in fact say. To him, the memory was clear as crystal.

'_You are still Zero! If you have to lie, lie until the very end!'_

"She told me to lie right to the end. I had before resorted to using Refrain to end the suffering, but she caught me before I did." Lelouch scoffed. "To think I was so desperate enough to use Refrain…"

Suzaku could not hide the fact that he was nearly appalled by the thought of Lelouch using drugs. He knew Lelouch well enough to think that he would never act so desperate, but he also knew that people change. It came as a shock to think that if Kallen didn't make it in time, Lelouch would probably be worse off than he was now.

"It was then that I understood what should be done, or so I believed. I would continue to live as Zero, to become a fake hero for the Japanese, to lie to the world and everyone else just to attain my goal. But then…"

Lelouch felt a knot in his heart welling up as he continued.

"It was around the time you betrayed me that I finally, truly understood what her words meant. I had to abandon any trust I had left and to continue lying to everyone just to survive. I had turned out like my father, Suzaku."

"I wouldn't say that…"

"No, it's true. I did become what my father had become. I never thought that I would be like him until now. Even now, he haunts me. I know that he is laughing somewhere, enjoying that his exiled son had succeeded in becoming like him."

Suzaku felt pity toward Lelouch for that. It is not easy to accept that one day, children would wind up as or closely mimicking their parents.

"It is such a waste to feel this way, laughable even…"

Lelouch had begun to chuckle at his own faults. It was indeed humorous to think of it in that sense, but it had been a serious matter overall. For minutes, the room filled with awkward silence. Suzaku felt less at ease to see Lelouch continuously beat himself up mentally.

"Even so, I will lie until the very end if it is necessary for my plans. I must once again put on a mask for the people." Lelouch stood and headed for the door. Suzaku grasped his friend's hand just in time before he was out of range.

"Lelouch, I too must put on a mask. I too have condemned myself to this fate, just like you."

Lelouch smiled. "I know…" As Lelouch neared the door, he paused in place. Without looking at Suzaku, he spoke.

"Tell me, Suzaku…"

He remembered something that was once said to him by Kallen.

"Yeah Lelouch?"

Lelouch paused for a moment and thought back on that memory.

'_Which Lelouch are you? Are you Lelouch Lamperouge the student, or are you the Lelouch that is Zero?'_

"Never mind…See you later, Suzaku."

Suzaku wondered what exactly Lelouch was going to ask, but felt a bit exhausted by their conversation and placed his questions aside.

Lelouch walked away from Suzaku's room, replaying thoughts in his mind.

'_I am Lelouch Lamperouge…it's a pleasure to meet you all.'_

'_To the Japanese, I am Zero!'_

'_I am 99__th__ Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, Lelouch vi Britannia!'_

'_So that is what the face of a murderer looks like.'_

Lelouch scoffed once more.

"I've worn so many masks, that even I can't discern who I am playing as. I've had to wear so many masks, that I don't know what my real face looks like. I can no longer tell who I am anymore."

Lelouch pondered these thoughts as he made his way back to the life he had come to hate, to return to the place he wished to destroy. He knew what his life had led him to be. But even that made the bittersweet taste in his mouth seem all the more bitter.

It was a feeling that lingered for way too long in his life, but he has already grown accustomed to meaningless thoughts of self identity. And so he headed back to being a tyrant of the people.

But even that seemed too bittersweet for him.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: I kinda dragged this chapter far more than what I had hoped in the first place. I wanted the talk between Lelouch and Suzaku to be a bit more insightful and intellectual, but then it leaned toward being more depressing than intended…hopefully that doesn't deter readers…Anyway, thanks for your support of this fic…


	3. Illness and Enlightenment

It was morning again.

The sky was clear again.

The bed was made again.

Lelouch had awakened once more to the vast emptiness of his bedroom. He was tired of the routine he had gone through, but couldn't find a way to break the cycle. Like clockwork it was; get up, get ready, go eat, get informed, go about freely, go to bed, rinse and repeat. Yet lately, Lelouch felt an even more disdain to this particular day, or rather the days that had preceded this one. A few days after talking to Suzaku, Lelouch began to feel increasingly ill from his current state of living.

**A few days ago**

_It only began as an increase of fatigue, which caused him to zone out at times when in front of his soldiers. A day later, things became troublesome as Lelouch began to having bouts of vomiting and serious nightly spasms, most of which he suffered alone. At times some servants tended to him, yet he refused help constantly. He asked himself why this was happening to him now. Then he would say that it was useless to think about such things. _

_A day later, he found himself drained of energy and passed out in a hallway halfway to his room. C.C. had immediately taken to Lelouch's side and placed him in his room. There, she found him going through a small spasm. His left hand clenched his robe as he struggled through the torment. C.C. witnessed so many things at this time; Lelouch writhed around in bed, teeth clenched, holding back the screams his body wanted out. His gasped at times while his eyes darted everywhere. When the incident died down, Lelouch was left drained once more sprawled on the bed. C.C. at first tried to reach Lelouch, only to cower away the next moment. It was something that even she could not alleviate, at least that's what she thought. All she could do was exit the room when it happened; sometimes she stayed right outside the room, hearing every last excruciating sound. Once, she had even found blood upon her own lips, drawn up when she had bit herself in an attempt to block out the feeling of barging through the doors. _

_It was something she really could not alleviate._

_In the end, Lelouch found himself in his bed, exhausted and blacking out at times. He would only sigh in defeat._

**Present time**

This day, Lelouch became aware of his recent behavior and decided to check with the doctor. Though loyal to Lelouch, the doctors had retained their knowledge and diagnosed Lelouch with a few complications; malnutrition (Lelouch had seen that he was not eating as much lately as before), extreme exhaustion and so forth. Medication was given to him to help the problems and soon left the doctor's office. In his mind, it was a bit futile to do these things. He recognized what the real problem was; himself. He allowed himself to become weakened physically and sought to prolong the sickness of his own accord. He tossed the medication into the trash.

Lelouch sailed through the day like any other, albeit the few debilitating symptoms of his own sickness that got in the way of functioning properly in front of his soldiers. When requests were spoken, Lelouch waved them off and suggested the easiest way to deal with each. His sluggish behavior had caused a waning in his authority, and so appointed Jeremiah to handle the ordeals. As Lelouch headed to his room, Jeremiah and C.C. had tried to keep the ordeal between them.

When the throne room was empty, the two spoke to each other.

"What has gotten into Lelouch?"

"It is something that we cannot interfere with Jeremiah."

"I can't agree with that. Lelouch has not acted like this before. Something must be wrong."

C.C. fiddled with her plush doll for a moment.

"Isn't there anything we can do for him in the least?"

"Yes. Stay put and let him be."

Jeremiah slammed his fist on the arm rest.

"Can't you be more supportive to Lelouch?! He is not in the best of health!"

"Since he put you in charge I'm not surprised."

"Shut your mouth, witch!"

C.C. snickered in her mind at her reply.

"Since you ARE in charge, why don't you worry less about Lelouch and more about the affairs of the world?"

Jeremiah was caught off guard by her words. In a sense, Jeremiah thought that it would just be best to go forth with his duties. In defeat, he angrily exited the throne room. C.C. felt bored with just being alone. At the moment, she could not talk to Lelouch, nor did she want to observe Jeremiah in his new, temporarily appointed job. She wanted to talk to someone, but most of the ones she wanted to talk to were out of the question. So, she decided to go for a little walk down to the prison block.

At the prison block, C.C. was met by an unusual silence. Of course there were a few shouts, but most were just remaining silent. '_They've lost their will'_ C.C. thought. It was then she stopped at the cells with familiar faces. Each of the prisoners was looking at her with disgust, a look that had made her feel nostalgic. In her mind, she remembered the days when she was tortured, tormented, and executed unsuccessfully. It was only unsuccessful due to the fact that at the time she was immortal. To her, it seemed funny that she would still be alive after having been hung, beheaded, drowned, shot, and just about any other method of killing that she had survived through. She remembered the times when she would retrieve her head and walk around with it in her arms, acting like a ghost, scaring children and adults. But as much as it was comedic, it was also sad to see how people could be so close-minded and intolerant to that which they do not understand.

Father down the line of cells, familiar faces began to appear as she stood in front of Lelouch's former allies, her former allies as well. She sat down in front of the glass that separated her from the prisoners, poking at her doll while gazing at the faces of these captives. In the cell were three people; Xingke, Toudou, and Lloyd. Xingke and Toudou were both in a meditative state, while Lloyd glanced at C.C. with a fixed look. It was a look that at first seemed real, but underneath was the knowledge of pretense to make it seem more convincing. Lloyd seemed fine with being confined in the cell, for he knew that it was necessary to play the part of a captive in order not to raise suspicion upon the plan. C.C. glanced back and gave a small smirk at the man; in that, he knew that the plan was progressing well. In return, he smiled and paused, afterwards hollering to the other two.

"Well, well, what is the king's aid doing here?"

The other two opened their eyes and saw C.C. sitting in front of them. Their faces turned a bit into disgusted smirks.

"Why are you here? Doesn't Lelouch have you on a leash?"

C.C. glanced at Xingke in the same manner as he did.

"I've come to grace you with my appearance and this is how you greet me?" Her forced tone seemed too unrealistic due to her usually nonchalant manner. This made both Xingke and Toudou a bit annoyed.

"Why are you really here?" spoke Toudou calmly.

"I got bored, so I thought I might visit you guys."

"After what has happened, we would not want to see you anyways."

"Oh, don't be like that" C.C. spoke in a playful manner.

"Things must really be boring then, if you have to come here just to talk to us prisoners."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. But lately, I've been confined to the palace most of the time."

"You have the nerve to compare your status to ours?" Xingke was nearing the limit in patience. "We've been stuck here for who knows how long, thanks to Lelouch, while you have all the time to roam free, and now you describe it as being in captivity?"

C.C. stood up and glared at Xingke. "You are boring me…"

With that, C.C. moved a couple of cells down. She understood what it was like to be a captive, to be held against your will and at the mercy of others. To an extent, she felt a sense of superiority when comparing her captivity to their confinement. She had endured more than any of the people in these cells. It was true in many cases, but most experience is the same. She shook it from her mind as she sat down in front of the cell she had ended up at.

In the cell were three females; Kaguya, Tianzi, and Kallen. Each had despair evident on their faces. Kaguya sat closer to Tianzi, as if to comfort her at any moment. The Chinese Empress was not as energetic as the other two, despite the state of being prisoners. Her face was grim with sadness. Her eyes were a bit pinkish, signifying that she had been crying recently. Kaguya, although older than her, also had the same facial features that she had. Both were just like the two little girls they should be portraying at the moment. When C.C. turned to Kallen, she saw a major difference in the previous manners. Her face was filled with stone-like anger. Her frown had openly shown just how much she hated the state the world was in. Though to Kallen, it was more towards how Lelouch subjugated the world.

The moment she noticed C.C., Kallen felt a bit headstrong in staying silent. What was there to say she thought as she gazed at C.C. as she plucked at the "Cheese-kun" plush doll. The defeated does not talk to the victor, yet both of them were losers and victors in their reality.

"Why are you here?" Kallen broke the silence between the group and C.C. with her words.

"Can't I visit once in a while?"

Kallen lunged at the door, meeting it head on. Her teeth gritted together as she felt the anger welling up.

"Why ARE you here?!" spoke Kallen through her clenched jaw.

"I was just bored…"

This made Kallen even more infuriated.

"If ruling the world is that much of a bore, then let me out of this coat! I'll fight you here and now if you are that bored!"

C.C. sighed and shook her head.

"I'm not in the mood for fighting, especially with a prisoner like you."

"You are just afraid because I can kick your ass and you know it!"

C.C. sighed. "Who knows?"

"Stop being so passive and fight me!"

"I don't fight with those who desire it…" C.C. Turned and planted herself in front of the glass, back turned against Kallen.

Kallen kept her angry suppressed within her; it was exhausting enough to just hold everything back.

"Why aren't you with Lelouch?"

C.C. felt a slight jerk in her heart, and unbeknownst to her, so did Kallen.

"He doesn't need me at the moment…I still wonder why I am here as well."

"Exactly what does he not need you for? You've been with him ever since the beginning weren't you?"

C.C. plucked at the hat upon her doll.

"I just don't get it…"

"Neither do I…"

Kallen was caught by surprise by her remark.

"I never got a clear answer from you, you know."

"What?"

"Back when we fought, I asked you something didn't I?"

C.C. could vaguely remember her comment.

"I asked if you liked Lelouch, and you told me 'who knows?'"

C.C. smirked at the thought. She too was surprised to have felt the need to say that at the time.

Kallen sank to her knees. "Do you still…like him?"

C.C. paused and thought about how she really felt about the situation.

"If I were to say yes, would it matter now?"

Kallen raised her head in reply.

"What would change if I do choose yes? Are you going to ask me to stop him?"

Kallen felt a bit guilty at asking the question, but was even more astonished at C.C. for suggesting the answer.

"T-That's not…"

C.C. sighed. "I have lived far too long…long enough to realize that human emotions are fleeting. I knew that nothing lasts forever. What I am to him is only a contractor. He and I are that and only that…"

"Then tell me, why did you act like you did back on the Avalon?"

"What do you mean?"

Kallen grinned. "You sounded so willing to protect Lelouch."

"He and I made a promise, that's all…"

"That he would come back and give you a smile? Was that all it was about?"

C.C. froze. For once in her life, she seemed now at the emotional mercy of another.

"I can tell…that you have something for Lelouch…and that's why…you seemed to be like that around Lelouch. I could see it a few times when you were together."

C.C. felt embarrassed at first, but felt a bit annoyed at how preposterous Kallen's assumptions were.

"And what about you Kallen?" C.C. began to take an offensive.

"It must have been nice to be referred to as Zero's, Lelouch's ace."

Kallen was a bit blind-sided by the comment, but calmed herself.

"For a girl, being that close to your idol must have been such an honor…"

"I-I will admit that it was…"

"And I bet it was good to have the privilege to see him every day at the school…"

Kallen felt a bit embarrassed in turn. She remembered how Lelouch was also Zero, which caused her to feel a bit mixed with her feelings. It was indeed a mess to have to choose between which she liked more; Zero or Lelouch, even though both are one in the same.

C.C. devilishly smiled for a moment.

"Would you believe that I was living with him as well? Sleeping in his bed…doing this…and that…"

Kallen blushed at how scandalous C.C. was. C.C. laughed at this gesture.

"I was kidding…such a naughty girl…to think that he and I did "that"…"

Kallen felt humiliated at how cruel C.C. was to mock her when she spoke.

"I did indeed live with him, but that is as far as it goes. He is not the kind of man who'd sleep with you the first chance he got."

"I wouldn't have thought so either…"

C.C. smiled as she fidgeted with her doll.

"Lelouch doesn't seem that interested in girls, does he?"

C.C. looked at Kallen for a moment, surprised by how she spoke. Her "defeated" attitude intrigued C.C.

"I feel bad for Shirley though. She had such a crush on him…but for him to just play it off like nothing…"

"He can be cruel to the ones around him, even if he didn't know it."

The two quietly laughed. Kallen felt perplexed at how she laughed at the situation. _'Why am I laughing? Aren't I supposed to be a captive? How can I just easily laugh things off after what has happened?'_ Kallen broke off from her laughter and compelled herself to be serious. C.C. ceased her laughs when Kallen became silent.

"Stop trying to change the situation. I am the captive and you are a traitor!"

C.C. understood the reason behind the sudden change. To her, pride was as stale as cold pizza. But to Kallen, pride was important, even in captivity. But it didn't guarantee that one could still keep their pride. C.C. had felt that the situation wasn't a matter of pride, but of reality. She was not acting like she "should" be, but ever since the time when Lelouch succeeded in stopping his father's plan for "his" gentle world, she had felt a bit uncertain as to what Lelouch in store for the world. In truth, she felt a bit sad at the fact that she now did not know what to expect each day. Previously, she always carried herself at a distance between everything around her, acting her usual, nonchalant self. It did scare her to think that something unexpected could happen, like how Lelouch's health began to decline.

But C.C. shook the feeling away and rose to her feet. Looking at Kallen one last time, she walked away from the cell. Behind her green bangs, a look of regret flashed in an instant, but then disappeared as if never being there in the first place.

Down a few corridors, C.C. had ended up at the last guest that she would want to talk to. She motioned for the guard to unlock the door; she knew that this person would not attempt to escape. The chains rattled, as if sensing the presence of C.C. as she entered. The guard stood firmly at the door, back turned away from C.C. and the prisoner. C.C. sat in front of the captive, slowly playing with her doll at the time.

"Hello Nunnally" spoke C.C. in a slightly higher-toned voice.

Nunnally did not move one bit. Even before she entered, C.C. knew that it would be difficult to speak with her. For a month, she witnessed the changed that happened to Nunnally. At first, she hardly begged to be released. When Lelouch came around, she never spoke to him nor glance at him. It was like seeing a child in a silent fit. She could also see how Lelouch was affected by her defiant behavior. Every time he came, his face grew slightly pale, as if he dreaded the sight of his own sister locked up, and he did. He would not speak, but hold himself in a dignified manner. It was as if the two abandoned words and relied on what they thought the other would say. It was an awkward silence that took its toll on both sides, though it seemed to be much worse for Lelouch.

C.C. did not know the exact experience between a brother and sister, so to her it seemed a bit foolish to be stubborn toward one another like Lelouch and Nunnally. But on the other hand, it was in fact the two that changed her outlook on familial closeness. She had never met people like them before, and felt that such feelings of closeness seemed doomed from the start, but over time, she had begun to rethink her stand on the subject. And now, in this cell, the thoughts of how foolish such feelings are began nagging at her like a bad itch.

The silence began to get to her so badly she wondered why she ever came to Nunnally in the first place. That was until she heard a slight sound coming from in front of her.

"…please leave…" A tear drop fell onto the ground below Nunnally.

C.C. paused at her reply. Nunnally's voice seemed void of any emotion, which made C.C.'s presence even more unwanted. It was the first time she ever heard her like that. _'If Lelouch were here right now, I don't think he would be able to take such a comment' _C.C. thought in an instant. More tears seemed to spill forth from Nunnally's eyes, yet she had allowed them to fall carelessly down her young cheeks. She did not sniffle, nor did she cry. It was as if the tears carried her emotions with it, causing Nunnally to become adamant in silence. C.C. found this troublesome and decided that it was best to leave. In truth, she did fear the possibility of Nunnally doing something outrageous. But one quick survey of the surroundings and her fears went away. As she stood to leave, she hastily glanced back at Nunnally. At the door, she whispered to the guard.

"Do not allow her to die."

A slight sting reached C.C. as she realized how harsh her words were, but not as harsh if Nunnally were to hear any of it. The guilt of keeping people like Nunnally, as well as the Black Knights and every diplomat, governor, and any other figure that held power began to take its toll. For once in her life, C.C. began to regret making a contract with another person.

Back in the palace, C.C. strolled down towards Lelouch's room. She reached for the knob, but suddenly heard a familiar sound coming from beyond the door. Lelouch was having another episode. The gasps were louder than ever and the sounds of items crashing together became all too noticeable. C.C. thought about just letting things pass, like before when it started. But much to her will, she couldn't help but feel a terror far more powerful than her own. At that moment, her hands began to tremble, and soon she dropped her plush doll and replaced it with her own arms, hugging her being hard in an attempt to cease the anguish of having to pass through another of Lelouch's "meltdowns".

"Please, stop it" she spoke to herself repeatedly. Her eyes shut tighter than any time before. Try as she might, she found herself at the mercy of Lelouch's waning humanity. To her, it was as if she herself was experiencing the torment that Lelouch was going through. Moments passed and both C.C. and Lelouch were trapped in their tortures.

When the gasps died down and silence came in, C.C. felt out of breath. When the silence was too much for her, she decided that this was a bit too much. She opened the door carefully and peered at Lelouch's bed. It was a pathetic sight; Lelouch, with pillows scattered on the ground and a sheet now wrinkled and lying in heaps, was face down in the bed.

As C.C. crept closer, the nagging feeling had returned to her. It was foolish for Lelouch to degrade himself by self torture, but it seemed more foolish for C.C. to worry about him. Even though she had thought this, she found herself right beside Lelouch this time, instead of walking away from him like always. She sat down beside his head and placed him in her lap with her arms across his outline. His face was deathly pale and his eyes seemed far more soulless than before. It was sad to see Lelouch in this state. C.C. saw Lelouch's mouth moving slightly with no sound coming out. She leaned in closer and listened.

"…please leave…"

C.C. felt the same sting when Nunnally told her the same thing. Deep within her, she felt the urge to listen once more. It was nagging at her; _listen and let things go_. It was basically telling her to avoid unnecessary events. But it wasn't until she noticed her hand slowly petting Lelouch's hair that she defied the instinct her soul was telling her. She lowered her head further, close enough to Lelouch's ear.

"Let me stay…"

Lelouch's breathing slowed to a calm rhythm and his eyes soon closed from his own fatigue. His mouth formed words that C.C. understood; "fine then…"

C.C. wondered why she wanted to stay. Throughout her life, she had lost everyone dear to her. She felt a preset distance between people she encountered afterwards. She reminded herself of how she will remain while each person dies. She knew for a fact that humans are beings of time, and that each has their limit. She did not cry when one did, nor did she become held down by each one. She continuously moved onward, leaving the dead as they were and fleeing from a life that would be all too brief. Yet now, as she cradled Lelouch in her lap, she felt hot tears spill once more from her eyes. She smiled, even chuckled at how she was now after so many years of living in emotional solitude. Her soul told her that she was a fool for doing so.

'_We are all fools…'_

That night, she slept by Lelouch's side. This time, it was something that she was willing to do. Rather, it was something she could do, for his sake at least.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Sorry to have made you wait for this chapter. It was considerably longer than my other chapters, though I had intentionally made it to be a little shorter. Here's the rundown: I wanted this chapter to be a turning point to the story. The fact that most of this is depressing is to show how bad an emotional fall can be, especially in Lelouch's case. Guilt and regret eat away at a person, but is amplified when it involves someone close. In any case, look for more insight from me in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and please review…it's not much, but it is indeed welcomed by me.


	4. Slowly, Death Awaits The King's Arrival

It was pure silence at the time. No sound had rung through the air as the sword made contact to the Demon King's chest. Time seemed to slow down as his bodily sensations ran haywire. It was then he felt the sting of imminent death. Oh how strangely it felt as it made contact. If it were to be described, it would be like watching the event one frame at a time.

The tip dragged itself across the outer layer of skin, as if savoring the sweet taste of warm flesh. A small, inaudible gasp sputtered from the king's mouth as the sword, satisfied with its savory lust of outer flesh, began to rage and kindly, yet mercilessly puncture the first barrier of the king's skin.

'_This is' spoke the king. 'Ah, yes, it is as I thought…'_

The king flexed back a bit.

'_Pain…'_

The king, with his opened eyes, witnessed the spectacle that now was entering his body. The sensations began to go spin out of control, but the king remained calm, though with the face of sheer amazement. His mind began to perceive the attack even more so. As his eyes were forced down onto the blade, he noticed that his own sense of time was beginning to distort. The blade began to enter more slowly with every inch of its being.

'_It feels like when Rolo…'_

He winces a bit at the slowly increasing twinge. His mind was now escaping from his grasp, as if being spirited away by some unseen specter. He can definitely feel the sword blasting through his abdomen. Inch by inch, even centimeter by centimeter, the king felt his nerves pulsing with signals of pleading reaction. But he ceased to listen to his body and its natural instinct. In a way, he welcomed it with open arms.

In the grim nirvana, the king began to feel one of the most basic instincts of humanity; fear. He was amazed at the time to feel fear once more. It was fear that dulled the blade of his resolve to live and sharpened the sword that now seemed to be entering his body slowly. Centimeter by centimeter, the king felt every pore of his skin open at the feeling of being pierced. He began to divulge himself in deep thought.

'_Even after much preparation, I still find myself dreading this moment. It is so stupid to feel this sensation, yet why do I still feel it stabbing at my mind?'_

He scoffed.

'_I bet this is how everyone felt…this slowly increasing feeling of dread. This cruel suffering must be what people have to go through when death does not come so swiftly.'_

The king winced again when the blade began to pass further into his muscles. This time, his body reacted. It slowly pulled back to escape, but it did more harm than good. The king's wound had been tightened by the gesture, making the feeling even more excruciating. To him, it was as if his body had betrayed his mind and thus worsened the whole experience.

The king had entered another thought into his self-thinking; truth. There was a saying, he remembered, that stated: "The truth will set you free." It was ironic to say the least when he compared it to his predicament.

'_It will not be the truth that will set me free from this' _he pondered and sarcastically grimaced at the situation. _'For the truth, it is necessary to lie to the bitter end.'_

His thoughts halted. He discovered that the truth will hurt those who do not know the real story. But then, he thought, sometimes it's much better to discover the truth rather than to reveal it.

He began to lose himself in a similar memory.

'_Yes, it is better to discover…than to reveal…'_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, this is short because it is just something to give the readers a break and hopefully to satisfy their need for an update. I may do another one of these depending on how long I make the story. This is just a short snippet of the experience Lelouch will go through up to his final minute in the series. Hopefully you all will continue to support this fic. Thanks and please R&R.


	5. What Must Be Done

Daylight broke through the window when morning came. The rays of the sun beamed bright and slowly approached the bed sheets. Lelouch turned onto his left side and found his arm hitting something unusually soft. His eyes opened, though extremely fatigued, and saw something yellow. He blinked for a moment and soon sat up in bed. It was Cheese-kun. He picked it up with his hand and pulled it closer to his face, focusing his blurry vision on the toy itself. The first thing to come to his mind was C.C. He focused on the events that took place last night, although even that was a bit painful to him. He vaguely remembered a figure in front of him as the last ounce of energy left his body.

'_It probably was C.C. then' _he thought. With a sigh of disbelief, Lelouch threw the doll onto a nearby chair and made his bed in his usual manner.

There was indeed a major change compared to the mornings before. This time, Lelouch felt a bit more energetic, albeit noticeably withered due to the recent downturn in his health. There was a bitter aftertaste left on his tongue, though it had little effect on Lelouch's demeanor. It was the fact that Lelouch had grown used to waking up alone and wrecked after the nightly episodes. He was surprised to see that he remembered each one and thought of ways that would really bring him down, like having Tourette's or Epilepsy. But putting that aside, he dressed as he usually did and went on his way toward the breakfast hall.

Breakfast was served as usual, but this time Lelouch found a curious sight; C.C. and, even more surprising, Suzaku were sitting at the table. Both welcomed Lelouch in a manner most common among families or friends.

"Good morning, Lelouch" spoke Suzaku with a smile. C.C. just glanced at Lelouch, also with a smile.

"Uh, good morning to you too, I guess." Lelouch seemed confused at first to see the two. He momentarily thought that he was still dreaming. When he sat down, he instantly realized that he wasn't dreaming.

The three began to eat. Lelouch, despite his usual silence at the breakfast table, felt compelled to speak out at the changed atmosphere. He gazed at the two while they ate, forcibly halting his own consumption of the food. The two took notice and looked at Lelouch.

"Is there anything that I may be missing?" Lelouch had that confused gaze in his eyes when he spoke.

"It's only natural to break from the usual routine once in a while" spoke Suzaku. "Wouldn't you agree?" He looked at C.C., and so did Lelouch.

C.C. continued to eat, acting as though she heard nothing.

Lelouch picked up his fork and sighed. "Well, let's eat then."

The three ate together, and though the silence was a bit overpowering, the group felt a bit at ease with each other. At least, that's what Suzaku had thought. To Lelouch it seemed suspicious that two strange things would occur so far; waking up with "Cheese-kun" in his bed and now this. It was not that Lelouch hated being with his last few actual followers; he might have even welcomed the gesture. But the reality that this would occur after his nightly terrors seemed a bit off. In any case, Lelouch did not feel up to the task of ruining the few mornings he was going to have left.

After breakfast, Lelouch had followed his usual regimen of going through the daily updates of the world. All was normal, save for a few bits of revolts and suspicious activity rising in little countries. In a way, Lelouch seemed bored with having nothing to do. And although it ran across his mind, he fought the urge to both back out of his plan and to walk around the palace, which did not seem very king-like behavior even though his servants were geass-controlled. Raising suspicion is by far the last thing Lelouch would want to do. All that left him to do was to retire back into his room.

Lelouch sighed. "I never thought being a king would be so dull."

"Especially since you are the most hated person in the world now."

Lelouch turned to his side and saw Suzaku. He was a bit shocked to actually see him following along.

"How did you…"

"You haven't noticed until now?" Suzaku smirked. "Jeez, I thought you would have noticed my presence since after breakfast."

Lelouch shook his head. "Sorry, I must've been prattling to myself and didn't notice you."

Suzaku noticed how Lelouch was feeling through his words. "What's getting to you Lelouch?"

"It's nothing…"

"C'mon Lelouch, you can tell me…"

"I-I'd rather not…" Lelouch had steadily increased his pace and left Suzaku behind.

Suzaku had frowned and walked in the opposite direction. To his surprise, he ran into C.C., holding her doll in her arms.

"Hey C.C." he spoke to her. "Do you know what is wrong with Lelouch lately?"

In her mind, C.C. wondered if she should tell him the secret of Lelouch and his episodes. To her disbelief, she did find herself anxiously wanting to get the secret out to anyone. It ate at her will when she held it in. When Suzaku asked her about Lelouch, she instantly felt like she had hit another road block. _'I wonder if I should tell him'_ she thought. _'Maybe, if I steer the conversation toward it, then maybe…'_

C.C. spoke. "Let's talk in the other room."

Elsewhere, Lelouch fought the urge to look behind him, feeling anxious at the thought of Suzaku tailing him. In his mind pecked the nagging thought of him telling Suzaku about his recent actions that took place at night. As he continued down the corridor, his mind relinquished itself to nonsensical thought.

'_I cannot tell him about that.'_

'_As a king, I must hold myself in perfect condition.'_

'_But if I do tell him, then what will happen?'_

'_I've come this far, beyond the point of no return.'_

'_How am I to keep these things in check?'_

'_Why does this have to happen now?'_

'_It's because you take too much of a burden upon you.'_

'_Then what can I do? Just stand and let things be?'_

'_It has to come to an end somehow…it is the only way left to complete the Zero Requiem.'_

His thoughts lead him to plan the outcome of his work. All that he has done has culminated into his ruling of the world. Many have always thought of ruling the world as he does now, but to him, it felt off that he had only come this far with the curse C.C. gave him. No, it was more of a catalyst for him to use to exact his revenge against Britannia; however, it had caused most of the deaths of those who cared about him. Not only that, but it caused him to experience constant betrayal from those still alive. Ultimately, he knew he would become a monster if he were to continue down the path he had chosen. To him, C.C.'s words were right; geass had caused him to be singled out most of the time. In fact, most of the things spoken about him were probably true. But Lelouch discovered that being solitary was the only way to effectively succeed.

'_Funny, how fate works itself out…'_

Lelouch never thought of religion as being true. His morals were firmly planted within the realm of reality; nothing is ever predestined by "God". He met "God" as the collection of human desire, which propelled him to believe that in the end, no one comes back and that the dead stay dead. He then thought back to what his parents were trying to accomplish through their own plans. Heartless as it was, maybe it was the only way to break that rule. If they were right, then those who were dead would be brought to life. Remorse and sadness sometimes overwhelm the human mind; something that Lelouch learned first-hand like his father. Maybe his father was trying to stop the sadness in being separated from his own loved ones. If it were true, then Lelouch too would have back those that have died. He would have Euphemia and Shirley beside him once more. He would once again smile.

It was too late though, not only in time, but in redemption. Lelouch had stopped his father from joining the living with the already deceased. Maybe Lelouch felt scared that if they were to come back, if their memory stayed with them, then would he too be isolated once more? Would he, the killer of his family and traitor to his friends be that easily forgiven? There was no time to contemplate the outcome, for he allowed himself to be engulfed with malice at the thought of his parents not even caring for him and Nunnally. His personal feelings and morals stopped him from realizing a possibility.

Lelouch then thought back to the perception of "God". People were taught that God controlled the outcome. Lelouch found it boring and dull even at a young age. He mentally scoffed. _'If there was truly a being as God, then why hasn't he struck me down?' _He vaguely recalled a memory of his wherein he was taught the basics of religion. He vividly remembered how ferocious God's temper and power was told to be. He remembered how God was said to strike down the wicked and raise the just into Heaven. To Lelouch, the thought was at first farfetched, but as he strolled along he wondered if the fate described for the wicked in the bible would eventually come to pass unto his soul. He did not deny what was said about him, that he was a devil and that his existence is a mistake; however, he could not stop the feeling of regret and remorse when he recalled those words. The only thing Lelouch would be able to live with was the fact that his crimes will set an example for others in the future. If it were to become a more peaceful world, then it must first bear witness to ultimate atrocity.

Ironic as it seemed, it was the only thing he could feel was true.

Lelouch sighed and headed out into the garden area of the castle. The sun was high and the atmosphere was tranquil; a bit of luxury that Lelouch allowed himself to have despite his nature. He walked in the grass, trekking as far to the center of the area, searching for a tree to rest under. He recalled that he used to do something similar back when he and Nunnally lived with Suzaku. He would sometimes admire the landscape of Japan as the hills overshadowed the town below. It was the only time he found solace from his dreary world. At times he just came to take in the scenery, at other times he came to calm himself down from his own troubled mind. He spotted a suitable area for himself, under the branches of a lone tree. He sat down, not minding if his clothes were about to become stained with grass.

'_Wearing white does have its disadvantages…' _

What attracted him to this tree was not only its loneliness; its branches seemed to droop forward, as if strained by a large weight when growing. The leaves themselves were swaying with a bit of anxiety, afraid that the wind might blow them away from each other, afraid to be separated and fall to the unforgiving arms of the earth. The tree itself seemed rather hunched over, probably from the wind and years of bent growth. The texture of the bark felt brittle and slightly broke when Lelouch ran his hand up the tree. The tree, he speculated, was seemingly old, despite its stature.

'_It probably lived with its shape disfigured by strong winds' _Lelouch thought. When he let the back of his head touch the tree, he smiled with a bit of jealousy. _'Funny, it seems like this tree is similar to me. We both are marked for death despite our appearances. And yet you will out live me by how many years.' _Lelouch felt slightly at ease while sitting under the tree. Gazing at the sun through the branches and the leaves, Lelouch pondered about his memories. It was then he recalled a phrase Shirley had said to him just before her death:

"_Even if I were to be born again, I would still fall in love with you."_

Lelouch couldn't help but to laugh at the possibility of reincarnation. It made him feel slightly remorseful since it was Shirley who said it. At times, Lelouch wondered why exactly she said that; even more so that she had loved him despite the fact that he killed her father as Zero. Even though he never saw her past a companion, Lelouch wondered why she still could love him. Her last words had reached him enough to give a vague reason why she could have feelings for him in the end.

"Sorry Shirley, I don't think that a soul like mine is up for reincarnation. Even if it were, you'd probably find someone better off for you than I was."

Upon thinking of Shirley, Lelouch had thought about Kallen as well. The concept of love had never really registered to Lelouch, despite his feelings toward Euphemia, which at the time seemed childish and yet meaningful. Lelouch remembered that her admiration was only for Zero. He saw it every day that he was Zero; Kallen on stand by waiting for him to command her. Even though he had placed her as his personal bodyguard and ace fighter, he noticed that her duties and attitude seemed to have been quite personal. He felt a sense of pure loyalty coming from her, though to her, it was the fact that she would be of use to the man who gave her and her people hope. She displayed it mostly while defending him from Ohgi and the rest of the Black Knights, but it ultimately was just as fragile as her feelings. When Kallen kissed him for the last time, it was the fact that he had an agenda ready that required that he try to sever ties with his friends which cause him to retain his composure in front of Kallen, looking as if the kiss meant nothing. To Lelouch, it was just another way to push them away from the fate he would soon place upon himself. He did not originally feel anything towards her, but as time went on, he felt appreciative of her devotion, but did not have enough ground for them to be an item.

Of course, he had to also acknowledge the relationship between him and C.C. He pondered why she had kissed him before he left to Kaminejima Island. At first, they had been nothing more than accomplices who entered into a deal. When Mao showed up, Lelouch had figured that it was just another situation of a failed contract. But when he heard the story from both Mao and C.C. back at the amusement park, a part of him became jealous once more. Had what they done really been for just a contract? To hear that C.C. had shown a bit of affection to Mao made an impact to him. In his mind, Lelouch concluded that women, like his father, tend to use what they are to curve and bend the will of men. At least that is what he thought until C.C. showed reluctance in going back to Mao. After rescuing C.C., Lelouch wondered if he too would become like Mao, driven to madness by his one-sided view of their relationship. Even so, he made his own contract to C.C. Was it to comfort her? Was it to cure the loneliness in both of their hearts? Either way, he knew that he needed her for his goals, just like she needed him for hers.

At the time when he confronted his father, he wondered why C.C. had chosen to allow his father to kill her. Had they not made a contract to each other? Why did she betray his contract so willingly? Lelouch had not questioned why she did, but rather gave her a requirement for her to have in death. She did not die, but became her old self, her obedient, slavish self. Even after he had thanked her for giving him the nudge he needed so many times before, and though she promised to stay with him, it was only a half truth for keeping up her end of the bargain.

In his subconscious, Lelouch wondered if he could ever try to keep his own contract. After being betrayed by so many, he began to feel that promises and contracts are nothing but lies to keep a person from dying. That affection is just a hindrance and an excuse to justify a person's actions, even to justify being alive. In their own way, Lelouch felt that all three of them ended up betraying him as he did to them.

Lelouch braced himself as a gust blew his way. The leaves rose with the wind and swirled up into the sky. To him, it's crazy that he should be the only one to enjoy this feeling right now. It reminds him of so many situations of bliss that people have experienced; a walk on a sandy beach in the afternoon, gazing at the stars in awe at night, and so many others that bring people joy. Of course, then he realizes that people today no longer can find that joy due to his rule over them. He wants to laugh. He wants to laugh and smile again, like a child in his prime. He wants to believe that there is something better that awaits his life.

He does laugh, but not a whole-hearted laugh, and not for something pleasant. No, he laughs at his foolishness. He laughs like a mad man, hysterically at the point of his longing. And then, he cries. His sobs allow no comfort to come and his tears give him no compassion. It is sorrow and guilt that each bring to his soul. And it devastates his morale, furthering his weeping. His cries are loud, angry, and all the while even more depressing than he is. It dies down eventually, but Lelouch does not let the feeling go that easily. It affects him, but it is minimal due to the fact that he has already felt like he is a fool. In a way, he tries to savor the lingering torture. It gives him the only peace that he wants out of this hollow life as Demon King.

"I thought that I might find you here Lelouch."

Lelouch snapped himself back to reality and heard Suzaku approaching him slowly.

"W-What is it?" He tries to break the look of extreme sadness from his face.

"Is there something wrong with the countries right now?"

"No, but there is something wrong with you Lelouch."

Lelouch turns away and coughs.

"What do you mean? There is nothing wrong with me."

"Oh?" Suzaku acts surprised. "Then when were you going to tell me about your nightly episodes you've been having for the past few days?"

Lelouch felt backed into a corner. _'I can't believe it! How did he…Ugh, C.C. must've told him about it." _He cannot hide the fact anymore now that Suzaku looked at him intently. Lelouch sighs and looks back at the sky.

"Have you ever looked at the sky and wondered what lies ahead of a wretched soul as mine?" Suzaku is silent. "And then when you come back down to earth, do you believe that such a soul can easily find comfort back within himself or for that matter in anyone else?" Suzaku tries to find the words to use, but is only dumbfounded by what Lelouch said. "It doesn't make sense, I know. But it does hold some truth in itself." Lelouch sighs and scoffs at his logic. "I've recently been having episodic spasms at night. And though I've been checked upon it, I refuse my medication. Why is that?" Suzaku stands silent. "It is because I know what I have, and it is something I allow myself to have. I can always stop it psychologically, but I have felt like this should be only the beginning of a punishment I so rightfully need."

"It starts off with nightmares of tragedy and bloodshed. I may have not been directly responsible for so many deaths, but it feels like I might as well have been. I had imagined death; I had fantasized about so many deaths up to the point of pure sadistic proportion that I even lost myself to insanity. I had ordered the execution of many and caused widespread fear into people. I've witnessed the effects of those actions first hand. I stood by and watched a man, a servant of mine who broke through my geass, get shredded by shrapnel and became a pile of blood and guts in front of me. And yet I played it off as an example of punishment to those who defied my rule."

Suzaku felt more surprised to hear about the servant breaking the geass control rather than the gruesome death he had been given.

"I ordered it all, death and destruction. I have caused many suffering and grief with my hegemony. I am now even considered the enemy of the world and Demon King, worse than that of both Oda Nobunaga and Adolf Hitler. And yet, why am I still alive?"

"That's because…"

"It is because I am needed, I know!" Lelouch forced an outburst to dissipate some of his inner turmoil, unknowingly silencing Suzaku. "I'm sorry, but I know why I must still live." Lelouch found a bit of irony in his words and sighed. "To live…I wonder if I ever had the right to do so."

"Of course you have, everyone does."

"For happiness I bet. But for me, it is a different story."

Suzaku felt a bit annoyed by how Lelouch thought so little of himself. He knew that people had the right to live their lives. Encountering such people with Lelouch's inferiority complex would drive anyone mad. He had known Lelouch for so many years, and through those years, he never once saw him belittling his own worth to society. It is only now that he can regret wanting to bear a burden that Lelouch has had upon his shoulders since the first time he met him. There is a difference between them in those terms. Where Suzaku wanted his for redemption of name and soul, Lelouch bore it for the sake of helping people. To put the will of others over your own was a life that, Suzaku thought, is something most noble, and yet something most troublesome to continue.

"I guess you were right Suzaku. I guess that everyone was right about me."

Suzaku glanced at Lelouch and saw his eyes dimming slowly.

"My existence in this world was a mistake. I've hurt so many during my life. I don't think redemption is an option for me." Lelouch stood up. "Yes, my life was a mistake; but it is a mistake that will soon be eradicated from the world."

Suzaku felt confused. _'What is Lelouch trying to say?'_ he thought.

"Suzaku, I am going to be moving the Zero Requiem's completion date up."

Suzaku stood and faced his friend. "What do you mean?"

"I know now that this existence is useful in a way. I will personally see to it that this life of mine becomes useful to everyone in the end." Lelouch faced towards Suzaku. "And you, my dearest friend, will have your wish granted."

"Y-You don't mean…"

"Yes, the world will soon be born anew by the start of the next month. It will be a grand world, one that everyone will enjoy."

With this, Lelouch returned to the palace, as if in a hurry, leaving Suzaku behind. Suzaku clenched his hand. He turned to the sky and gazed into its depths. He knew well what Lelouch meant by 'his wish'. It was a wish he first thought he never could do. But now, after they have been through so much, his wish, the only one he now wished he never thought up, is being granted to him.

"A world that everyone will enjoy…"

Suzaku turned and retreated back into the palace as well, fighting back the sorrow that was now beginning to stir up in him.

'…_and a world that you won't experience…'_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, first off, sorry to all of my readers for keeping this chapter off for so long. Second, yes I did intentionally mention Nobunaga and Hitler in here, but only for comparison purposes. Third, sorry if Lelouch sounds more emo than usual, but c'mon, you would do it to despite his regular demeanor. He is just trying to find his own balance before going through with the Zero Requiem. As for C.C., well I had hoped to put more of her with Suzaku and how she told him, but I guess that could have been omitted. And as for pairings, each are definitely worth their own to Lelouch, it's just that he is too serious that he can't let himself have either of them. Well, if there is anything you'd like to ask, just please R&R for me. Thanks.


	6. Possibilities, Possibilities

It was a cold, numb evening. The daily servants were sent to their quarters and the night guards were ever vigilant in their duties. Silence encompassed the halls and the rooms. Even the jail cells in the prisoners' block were quiet, save for the few that fought the urge to give into sleep.

Suzaku was restless and fidgeted around in his own bed. Sweat was beginning to appear upon his forehead. He spewed muffled groans as his body flipped back and forth, trying desperately to force his body into slumber. It was inevitably a lost cause and soon he gave into his resistance.

He spoke quietly to himself. "Damn, why can't I get to sleep?" He fumbled once again to try and get some sleep. He knew perfectly well the object that kept him from his slumber; his mind. He sat up in bed, hands at the sides of his head, palms clenched as though he were about to rip out his hair because of his anxiety. A message echoed through the caverns of his cranium.

"_Your wish will be granted…"_

That simple quote buzzed in his head that night. It was a message; originally it should be meant in a good way, but now had brought him great grief and suffering. _'How could Lelouch say that to me?'_ he thought. _'What's worse is that he mentioned it just today…I mean, before it could have been okay, but now it just seems so…' _He could not finish the thought, albeit he knew words to describe the exact emotion. He also knew that what Lelouch had said, or rather meant by what he said, was indeed the way things might turn out. _'Rather that is the way it should turn out…' _Suzaku added to his thoughts.

Suzaku turned onto his side, once again trying to get some sleep. He knew Lelouch well enough to figure out that if he had a direction to go to, he would take it no matter how absurd it might have already been, so long as it was the most reasonable way to go. Not only in planning ahead, but also in planning for life. But to assume the outcome of Lelouch's words, he wasn't entirely sure if his friend knew what he was doing. But it was Lelouch that said it himself, so there should not be any reason to think that what he said now, anything he said, was a lie. He turned onto the opposite side of the bed, gazing out into the dark, blue, night sky. The moon hid behind a tree, allowing the darkness within the room to spread, as if swallowing the entire area, Suzaku included. His eyes closed slowly, knowing that sleep was needed.

In his mind, within that dark embrace of shadows, he wondered if he really expected things to turn out like this. And as the moon began to bid away the darkness of night, he wondered if he really ever knew Lelouch. And with the moon's light shining into the room, Suzaku found his body finally allowing the sleep to come. It had been a rough day after all.

Within another room, C.C. had been restless as well. She felt irritated that she could not sleep. But she felt angry at the day's events.

**Flashback**

She had roamed around the hallways, trying to rid her mind of the memory of Lelouch's latest episode. Unconsciously, her grip on her doll tightened, her nails digging more into the fabric of her "Cheese-kun" plush toy. Her mind was in a total wreck. At times like these, she would have calmly entered into another talk with Marianne, Lelouch's mother. Sadly, after the fiasco in C's World, her connection with Marianne had, like her and Charles, disappeared after their banishment. At some point, it knocked her off her own omnipotent view of the actions Lelouch and Suzaku had taken, as well as taking away her perception and foresight of the future outcome. In her cold heart, she felt annoyed that now she can't foresee the future of Lelouch and Suzaku, as well as the world itself.

Around the corner, she met with Suzaku, who had been looking for Lelouch. When inquiring about Lelouch's whereabouts, C.C. had taken the opportunity to rid herself of the secret that she knew. Taking him into one of the rooms, she had begun to tell Suzaku of her woes.

"What do you want to tell me?"

C.C. sat across from Suzaku, setting her toy below her, next to the legs of the chair.

"Do you…approve of Lelouch's actions?"

She saw that Suzaku was surprised.

"What do you mean? Don't you remember that we have had this discussion before?"

C.C. knew that the three of them did talk about it, before Lelouch planned to join the U.F.N.

"Why do you hesitate now?"

C.C. felt cornered again. "It is not that I'm hesitant now, it's just that…" She trailed off before speaking again. "I'm not saying that I deny both of your logic, but that I may not be able to continue with you guys."

She knew Suzaku would not be easy to deal with. But it would seem that she had struck a similar cord with the Knight of Zero.

"We have made a promise to each other that we'd see this out to the end. We can no longer go back to how things were. You should also know that time cannot be turned back for anyone."

C.C. did know this fact, all too well even.

"As I told you before, I will be his sword, and you should be his shield. I can only do so much for him now, but you can do far more than I can."

C.C. pondered her purpose to Lelouch. In regards to his words, C.C. calmly spoke.

"What if I can't do that much for him?"

"What do you mean?"

C.C. swallowed her pride and told Suzaku the truth.

"Lelouch is suffering Suzaku."

She saw the surprised gaze on Suzaku's face and continued.

"He is suffering and I can't seem to protect him from it. I've played it off as something that he can do by himself, but lately it has started to affect me as well. It is as if I can feel his suffering. At nights he breaks out into wild fits of agony. I can hear them from beyond the doors. I've never witnessed it before, but I can imagine how it plays out."

She looked at Suzaku and saw a horrified look upon his face.

"And when it is over, I find myself at a loss, at a cross between leaving and staying. When I leave, I feel like I have failed in my duties. But when I peek into the room, I see the aftermath. At times, there were pillows everywhere, and at other times, I see pieces of broken lamps across the floor."

To her, Suzaku seemed more perplexed at the recent behavior that she described rather than the fact of it happening.

C.C. smirked. "Look at me rant on how his health is dwindling. I had thought that I had completely voided myself of these emotions. I mean, I have seen so many horrible events in my life, yet why should I care about this?"

"Maybe it's because you are still human."

C.C. found the remark absurd. At times, she wondered if being human included staving off death through immortality. It was an unnatural turn in human mortality, but does that really set the border between being human and not being human?

"In any case, if you have decided to quit now, then I guess it is your choice." She saw Suzaku turn away from her.

"As I said before, I am his sword, and I will cut down any hindrances that come by. If you will excuse me…"

As Suzaku left, C.C. wondered if she had lost sight of what she was compared to how she acts in reality. She plagued her mind with thoughts about humanity for what seemed like hours. Humanity is only strong if the person is willing to keep it, otherwise insanity would engulf the whole of a person. To her, the thought seemed rather inappropriate, comparing it to her own experience. If she had already abandoned her humanity, wouldn't she have gone insane by now? At that moment, she forced a slight chuckle at how absurd the concept of humanity was to her.

After the first hour and a half, C.C. had been visited by Lelouch himself, along with Suzaku and Jeremiah. C.C. stood and wondered why they were here.

"We have to talk" said Lelouch in a forceful manner. C.C. nodded and followed the group.

They had arrived at the throne room, where the usual plans were discussed. Each had taken a seat in their respective chairs, except for Suzaku, who stood right beside Lelouch.

"As you all know, the entire world is now under my control. Every country, every city, and every nation is in my grasp. I have become the most hated man in recent, if not all, history of the world. These past few weeks have become, more than likely, the worst days of mankind under my hegemony. I have shed so much blood, whether innocent or rebellious, for this kingdom of mine. All now fear my name and quake under my fist. Do you agree to this?"

"Yes, my lord" responded Jeremiah.

"Of course" replied Suzaku.

C.C. did not respond. Though obvious, Lelouch saw that C.C. would stay silent.

"That is why I have decided to bump the schedule of the Zero Requiem up."

Jeremiah and C.C. both glanced at Lelouch, who knew that he had caught their attention. Suzaku just stood by.

"I have decided to complete the plan by the end of the month. By then, the world will be born anew."

"Wonderful!" It was no surprise to see Jeremiah act in such a manner. "And how would you do so my lord?"

Lelouch smirked. C.C. knew that when Lelouch smirked, that meant that it would have to be something very elaborate. Despite what she thought, C.C. and Jeremiah were caught off guard by what Lelouch revealed.

"With my own life; I have decided to give my life up for the new world."

The shock was evident upon the faces of both Jeremiah and C.C. Not only were they caught by surprise at the plan, but they were more surprised at how Lelouch was confident enough to speak about it. At that moment, C.C. knew that it really was hard to not be able to see the future outcome through Lelouch's actions.

"B-But my lord, how can you think of such a plan like that?"

"Jeremiah, exactly what can unite a world?"

Jeremiah fell silent as he looked for a response.

"Money, prosperity, peace, happiness; these entire things can unite a world. Hatred included. There is one thing that people hate now, and that thing is me. Under my rule, the people are now united against me, but still remain united. I am the reason for the suffering and sorrow of people around the world. People seek to rid themselves of suffering for happiness, people want peace for the world, and those are things that though alive, I cannot give to them."

C.C.'s assumption was right and thus she tried not to complain.

"But if I were to die, I would unite the people with that same desire."

"My lord, I cannot accept this." All eyes were now on Jeremiah. "The world itself is united, that is true. But I cannot fathom at how your death can really benefit the world! I mean, there has to be other ways for the world to become happy again. Why don't you use your geass on the world?"

C.C. knew that what Jeremiah had said was in vain. Though, her own mind went through such thought processes as well when she heard of Lelouch's final act for the world.

Lelouch calmly spoke. "I cannot simply do that Jeremiah. My geass does not span through broadcasted signals. Once more, even if I did, there will always be people that might break the control, just like that soldier. I cannot afford that to happen."

"But my lord…"

"Though it is true that there are people that may break from the geass," Suzaku started. "There is a possibility to hunt them down and silence them."

"Please, my lord, you have to find some other way to finish the Zero Requiem."

Lelouch stayed silent, eyes closed and hands folded in front of his face. Jeremiah turned to C.C. and whispered.

"Say something; you are his partner after all."

C.C. paused in her thoughts at Jeremiah's words. She remembered how Suzaku had also told her to help Lelouch. It was the same situation for her now like it was then. She knew that when Lelouch planned something, it was always the only thing he would ever take. He would never second-guess himself or his actions. It was futile, she thought, to persuade him otherwise.

Deep within her mind, however, she wanted to be wrong about that. She felt like she would actually plead Lelouch to think of another way out. Any result would have done, if it meant to stay alive. However, she knew better than to voice such opinions to Lelouch after he figured out a plan. And so, she stayed silent while holding onto her plush toy.

Lelouch dropped his hands to his lap and hunched forward in his chair. "I have been through each scenario, playing out results and consequences of my actions. And what I can see is that each one does not end up with the world in peace. Even the plans in where I am alive, I still can't see the possibility of living. The people wish for my death, and one way or another, alive or not, they would seek out my destruction."

The room fell silent. Talking about death seemed to always have that effect on any atmosphere. It wasn't until C.C. spoke that things became grimmer.

"And how are you going to carry this plan out?"

Suzaku and Jeremiah had both glared at her. She knew they would, and she knew that Lelouch would not. To her, talk about the various paths one can take seemed useless at this point in the Zero Requiem.

"That, I am still planning out." This caught the group by surprise. To think that Lelouch would not have compiled a whole plan by the time of its announcement was like having hell frozen over. "But know this; I am still headstrong with the removal of myself for the plan." Lelouch leaned back into his chair. C.C. understood that thinking about one's own death seemed time-consuming, and usually in a sense that it can be delayed if a lifestyle is changed. To her, thinking about her own death seemed ironic since she had already felt the pain of dying, and the feeling of coming back. Each time she was executed, she never once thought that it would be the total end for her due to her immortality. But she did see how others felt about their own mortality, whether it was people who she passed by or those whom she had made contracts with. But she was never their when they did eventually die. She never really stayed too long with a person, not even when she had made a contract. Whenever death was apparent, she had always bolted from the situation. And though she may have seen death on small and large scales, she had never really witnessed the ways of killing humans have implemented upon others. If you have seen one death, then you've seen them all; that's what she believed.

Lelouch rose from his chair. All eyes were now on him.

"I believe that I've made my point. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some planning to do."

As Lelouch left the room, the three remained, awed by how Lelouch kept himself composed and headstrong. Each were baffled by his bluntness of the situation and wondered what was really in store not only for the world, but for them as well.

**Present**

C.C. felt distraught at how the day played out. She did not know how to make sense of what was said back then. Why did she begin to feel so annoyed by Lelouch's plan, after all that they have been through? It could not have been that she had recently started to care about the future of the world. And it could not have been that she was starting to worry about when the world that Lelouch and Suzaku had promised was going to come to fruition.

It had to be something else, she thought, something far more important.

What ever it was, she had to put the thought out of her mind at least for the night. She turned towards her bed and collapsed upon the sheets in a horizontal fashion, feet dangling off the bedside. She fidgeted around before she found a comfortable position to sleep in.

'_It has to be something important…'_

The next day, Lelouch pondered about his plans and its execution. During which, he completely ignored most of the daily happenings; he found it much easier to have Jeremiah take command of the affairs. Suzaku had been missing in action during the day, as well as C.C., but Lelouch paid no mind to their absences. He was far too busy cooking up something.

'_If I were to remove myself from the picture, then how would I go about it?' _

That was his main thought while he walked in the halls.

'_I would first have to make it as convoluted as possible. That shouldn't be a problem.'_

He thought about various ways to do so.

'_If I made it look like an open, orchestrated plan, then there will be no chance of people believing in my death.'_

'_Though, I can't make it look too random that it may have been done with no motive.'_

'_No, I must make it look like a planned assassination.'_

'_But I need someone to play the role, but who can it be?'_

He then remembered that he had promised Suzaku that his wish would come true.

'_I can't use Suzaku since everyone believes him to be dead. Though, I also know that it can't be done by my own servants.'_

He pondered for a while as he turned a corridor.

'_The people would want my death, but how can it be done?'_

'_I have to look at it as if it were an act of justice.'_

It had hit Lelouch right then.

'_An act of justice, right? There is only one person that I know that stands for justice. Ironically it is my false persona. I cannot have myself kill me. That would be suicide.'_

For a moment, Lelouch felt stumped. Suicide cannot be the path for his plan. He had thought that if it were, then who would believe the message of his death? He could not have the people rely on the word of his geass servants. It was certain that no one would believe any person affiliated with himself.

'_If it cannot be from the mouths of my allies, then it has to come from the actual scene. If so…'_

Lelouch had found the exact answer at that moment.

'_I must then plan for the arrangements.'_

Within the city of Tokyo, the people hustled about, cautious of their surroundings due to Lelouch's latest laws. Many, if not all, were no longer able to be as free as they once were since his installment as emperor of the world. Many corporations became engulfed by Lelouch's tyrannical grasp that soon nearly every department of the world had been labeled with the emperor's logo and name. Even the media itself had been affected, globally and locally; newspapers, magazines, and even daily news had Lelouch's essence within them.

The local news network, formerly know as KT Television, in Tokyo had been the favor of most people, not only because of its staff, but of its work. It was a perfect place to actually start the spreading of influence for Lelouch. He graciously took over all production and reformatted it to display his influence to the other local news stations, and soon worldwide. Graciously, in Lelouch's case, meant like a hostile takeover instead of a traditional contract method. The employees were examined and those that didn't seem fit were made to be so with Lelouch's geass. Only a few employees were saved from it. This included Milly Ashford, Lelouch's former classmate and granddaughter to the principal of Ashford High, whom also played benefactor to Lelouch's mother. It was at this time, he had sought her aid for his purposes.

It was noon and the network had just finished the dress rehearsal for the afternoon news. It was a complete success as always. Milly had been walking down to her dressing room, ready to take a break from her job. She enjoyed being on television, even though it had been for the news network. She'd probably prefer a much more glamorous life, but it was a start that led her into fame. She was praised as one of the best, usually by her looks, but she did not mind. It is okay to flaunt style once in a while, she thought.

As she made her way down to the dressing rooms, she noticed a peculiar scene; her usual guards were no longer by her door. Instead, they were noticeably different, and she knew not in a good way. They wore grey, skin-tight clothes and wore black hats with dark violet visors blocking their faces. She knew then that something was not right, but it was best not to panic. One guard turned and saw her.

"Milly Ashford?"

She nodded.

"Please come with us."

She knew that if she betrayed the order…well, it was just best if she went with them without question. They led her down to the main control room.

"We have brought her my lord."

The door opened to reveal Lelouch dressed in his usual attire.

"Hello there, Milly."

Milly stayed silent.

"Leave us now."

"Yes, my lord!" The two guards split directions and waited at the end of the corridors. Lelouch turned inward.

"Join me. I have something I want to discuss."

She began to feel a strange mix of confusion and fear as she walked into the room. Lelouch had closed the door softly, causing her to peer cautiously around the room. There was nothing but monitors and electrical controls around her. She showed a bit of anxiety for what might happen to her, especially now that Lelouch had power.

Lelouch turned towards her and approached from behind her, arms outstretched in the air. What happened next was unexpected.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Wow, a cliffhanger?! I never really expected myself to do that, especially with a Lelouch/Milly situation. I had wished to make this longer, but I decided that the basis of this particular chapter would stay as it was, and not what it might've been had I extended it. The toughest part about this chapter was trying to get the emotion right with C.C. and her ever-conflicting feelings with the Zero Requiem and Lelouch. I had decided to start including some of the other characters of the story (mainly Lelouch's school chums). Next chapter will have more on that, but hopefully this will attract more readers. If you have any questions, please R&R. Thanks and please be patient with the next chapter.


	7. Public, Private, Reasonable Assumptions

The blade was pushed in more, now at least a third is within the king's body. His gaze is still focused upon the things in front of him. The masked hero, the hostages, the whole world is now in front of him. Time is still slow at punishing the demon, with each piece of the sword ready to puncture more and more into the body of this king. His gaze is more focused now, seeing everything in detail.

He first sees his executioner. To him, it was a beautiful sight to see that death came from the symbol of justice. For he, the demon king, had not really done anything that can be even remotely labeled with the name of justice.

He then sees the world. The eyes of the world slowly widen as it bears witness to its first ruler's epic demise. Frightened faces signify the return of a phantom in front of a ruler. The gesture of astonishment towards the end of the past flare as the blade is now coming out of the emperor's back.

The King winces and grits his teeth. His eyes now solely focused upon the hostages. He does not consider them hostages, but rather a close audience to the climax of the play known as the Zero Requiem. They are silent with confused gazes, as if seeing the impossible take place. They look scared, as if seeing a close one dying in front of them. That could be the case to them, but the King disregards the notion. He knows that they should not have such faces on, especially for him.

He knows all too well.

'_They won't know…' _he states in his head. _'No one will know the sacrifices that I have done for them…'_ He takes his time to make such assumptions.

'_No one will know what I have done for them. They will scorn me even after my death. If they do find my grave, they will vandalize it for sure. If I am to be left here, they will surely want their revenge for all that have been lost. For all that I have done that they know of. Not a single soul will speak of my name in greatness. My name is now forever bathed in evil and cruelty.'_

The blade reaches farther out, causing the organs to rupture under the pressure. It was painful for the king to feel, but it continued to be an insignificant thing for both him and his executioner. But he feels glad that it was his friend that was his executioner.

The king mentally laughs at the mention of the word.

'_What a sad way to put it. Have I really ever considered them so? My only friends…I have betrayed them all and yet I consider them still to be. Why do I still find it so appealing to let them be that to me?'_

The sword begins to slow down even more so. The king feels his hat popping off his head as he shifts his body straight. His eyes now force its gaze upon the blue sky.

'_But it's okay that they don't know. It probably would've been better to not have ever made friends, but it was a blessing for me to at least feel that bit of companionship. I think it was the best decision to not reveal my plan in total to them.'_

The king begins to reminisce once more.

'_To only give them bad news…that was how I left them in the end…'_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: This is the second intermission for the story. Okay, now what I wanted was to place this as a precursor to what the theme of the next few chapters will be. I will include most of his friends and comrades in the next few chapters, so watch out for them. In any case, I hope you can feel at ease now that this is posted up. Thanks to my loyal fans for your support. Please R&R. Update will be coming very soo, I guarantee.


	8. Final Message For You: Milly Ashford

_(At the palace)_

A private storm of worry had begun to stir in Suzaku and C.C. To them, it was not really a good sign that Lelouch would not be in the palace, neither around the palace grounds nor the most places they would expect him to go to. Especially after what had conspired between the four of them, Jeremiah included, yesterday in the throne room. It felt even more maddening to remember that Lelouch had not fully explained the plan to either of the three. In both of their minds, they worried that Lelouch might've already gone ahead with his plans.

Suzaku had thought about the plan and what Lelouch had said to him before announcing his plans. Somewhere in his mind lurked the thought that Lelouch might have already done the unthinkable. But when he remembered the comment about his wish being granted, his fears subsided for the moment. Suzaku knew that whatever Lelouch had planned, it would have him playing a big role in its execution. He believed in what his friend said to him. He had to believe in Lelouch right now. So he calmed himself down and went back to his room.

C.C. on the other hand had been slightly angry with the strange disappearance of Lelouch during the vital moments of the Zero Requiem. At least, that is what she let herself be angry about. She wondered why she felt furious at Lelouch. She could not explain why she started to become more human than usual. In the back of her mind, she wanted to deny what she was already feeling now. It wasn't possible for her to feel something like this, especially since she lived for countless years.

She couldn't give herself any other reason for her personal suffering. She racked her mind, wondering what could be going on this moment with Lelouch. In truth, she was partially amazed at how she partially resembled a girl with one-sided feelings for another. She wondered if this was what normal girls go through. It also reminded her of how Shirley was with Lelouch. She admitted to being a bit of a worrywart just like her. But she could not scoff at the fact that Shirley had hardly a chance at Lelouch. Most of the high school girls at Ashford, C.C. thought, never really had a chance at Lelouch neither. To her, Lelouch seemed like the type of guy who was too serious for his age, barely letting go to enjoy life. Ironic thought it was compared to her life, C.C. believed that she had more fun than Lelouch did. And although he did have Nunnally, C.C. saw it in Lelouch's eyes; there was no more room for happiness. It seemed pitiful to her that a boy so young could not be happy for once in his life, or at least try to be happy during his younger days.

All of that aside, C.C. calmed herself down and sat back on her bed. She cuddled up with her toy and began to wonder about Lelouch and his plans.

_(Local News Network Building)_

"What are you doing Lelouch?" Milly backed away from Lelouch after seeing his hands coming closer to her. Unfortunately, she had back herself onto the control panel. Lelouch's arms were right beside hers, sealing off her escape routes. She then gazed into his violet eyes, both afraid and somewhat spellbound by their depth.

"Something I had wanted to do for all the times you used me in your little 'games'." Lelouch grew a sinister, somewhat lecherous smile upon his face.

Milly closed her eyes and braced herself for what Lelouch had planned. Lelouch brought his arms around her, slowly inching down every part of her upper body starting from her shoulders. It was a strange sensation to feel in the situation. She felt a bit afraid being at Lelouch's mercy, not knowing what he could make her do. She could feel herself tensing up as Lelouch's fingers traveled down her blouse, tracing the outline up to her chest. Her mind came to one, hasty conclusion; he was going to rape her. It amazed her that Lelouch could do such a thing to her. She never knew that Lelouch would resent for her actions, although it would have been obvious that he would take revenge on her, if it were to happen before he ascended the throne.

In an instant, Lelouch's fingers traced the outline of her chest slowly, causing her to whimper in nervousness and, for some strange reason, arousal. In all of the years she had known Lelouch, she had never thought that he would be so bold towards women, especially her, even if it was for revenge. As his fingers went around her body, she knew that he was tracing the outline of her bra as well. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage at such a thing from the one known as the demon emperor. She trembled in place when she noticed that his right hand was going up her thigh now while his left hand traced down her spine. Her eyes stayed closed, her will slowly being bent by Lelouch's touch. She felt somewhat ashamed that Lelouch was doing this to her in such a place. She thought to herself, _'Shirley, forgive me'_.

At this time, Lelouch placed his hands at her hips. Milly mentally prayed for things to be over quick and braced herself against him.

"And now…" Lelouch started. "It's payback time!"

Soon Milly had let out a loud wail.

_(At the palace)_

Suzaku had gone to see Jeremiah to ask if he had heard anything from Lelouch before he had left. Going about it, Suzaku had found Jeremiah monitoring the surveillance room, making his usual rounds to keep the palace safe and to keep the world in check as well.

"Jeremiah!"

Jeremiah turned and was surprised to see Suzaku in the room.

"How are you doing today, Suzaku?"

Before he could utter another word, Suzaku seized him by the collar.

"Where's Lelouch?"

"Aren't you being a little brash with this?"

Suzaku shook him once and repeated his question.

"Where is Lelouch?!"

Jeremiah looked surprised. "Is his majesty gone?"

"Yes! Now tell me where he went to!"

Jeremiah shook his head. "Why are you asking me?"

"You were left in charge in place of Lelouch, so you should know where he went off to."

Jeremiah shook his head again. "Please, I am just as surprised as you are. He only told me to keep everything in order for the day. I did not know he had left."

"Where were you all this time then?" Suzaku felt a bit more irritated that Jeremiah could not answer him despite being the only one among them to be known to keep surveillance on the palace.

"I had been making sure every sector of the palace was in order. I had just been here at least ten minutes ago." Jeremiah felt an idea come up right then. "I might know a way to find out his majesty's course of action. But you are going to have to let me go first."

Suzaku did as Jeremiah commanded. Setting him down, Suzaku waited as Jeremiah turned around.

"You there" He pointed to one of the servants at the controls. "Bring up all video surveillance from this morning to noon."

"Yes my lord."

A few moments later, the screens began to show multiple video feeds all throughout the palace. Suzaku and Jeremiah had scanned each one in order to track Lelouch's trace.

"There!"

Jeremiah pointed to one of the lower screens. It was a video feed from the docking bay where the Knightmares and other transport units were kept. The two saw Lelouch, along with four guards, entering one of the military transport vans, which had left the palace shortly afterwards.

"He left about an hour ago" stated Jeremiah. "Well even though he left, we should…" When he turned around, he saw Suzaku leaving, as if in a hurry. "Suzaku, listen." Jeremiah followed in suit, trying to catch up to Suzaku. Suzaku in return sped his pace up. "Suzaku listen to me." When Suzaku saw that Jeremiah had been following him, he sped up. "Suzaku get back here."

When it looked as though Jeremiah could not catch up to Suzaku, he pulled out a black gun and fired it at him. Suzaku fell to the ground, convulsing a bit wildly, screaming in constant pain. After the pain subsided, Jeremiah walked up and stood over Suzaku.

"W-What the hell? What was that?" Suzaku spoke despite minor difficulty regaining control of his body.

"It was only a stun gun" Jeremiah spoke a bit triumphantly. When Suzaku tried to get up, Jeremiah lightly placed his foot on his chest. "Don't move Suzaku Kururugi. The electrodes are still in your back. If you attempt to leave again, I will have to shock you again."

Suzaku struggled to get Jeremiah off him, but it was useless. When he stopped struggling, he spoke.

"Why are you trying to stop me? What if Lelouch has already gone ahead with his plans?"

Jeremiah knew that it was a possibility that Lelouch would have done so. But even with that in mind, he suppressed his will to go after Lelouch. He took his foot off Suzaku and spoke.

"If he did go with his plans, then there is nothing we can do about it. What is done is done. But if Lelouch had really intended to do this alone, then he wouldn't have told us of his plans in the first place." Jeremiah sighed. "You must have patience Kururugi. You have to trust his majesty on this one."

Suzaku sat up and wondered if he should really trust Jeremiah's words. He did indeed worry about Lelouch and the Zero Requiem, but getting too worked up over Lelouch's disappearance might be something that should not get in the way. Despite being enemies once before, Suzaku knew that by far Jeremiah was more loyal to Lelouch than either him or C.C. Inevitably, he had calmed himself down and accepted the outcome.

"You're right, Jeremiah." Suzaku groaned. "But can you stop sending me small shocks with that thing?!"

Jeremiah grinned. "Spoiled sport."

_(Local News Network Building)_

"No, stop it Lelouch!" Milly's struggled through the torture that Lelouch had begun to put her in. "It's too much for me to handle!"

Lelouch scoffed. "Come on, you can hold out longer than this can't you?" He continued his onslaught on her.

Milly wailed out, grasping at Lelouch's forearms. "Stop, please, I beg you." She let out more wails and whimpers as Lelouch pushed her to the ground.

"Come on, just give into it." Lelouch had Milly switch into a different position.

Milly felt her body slowly loosening up to Lelouch's touch. Though the situation was wrong to her, she felt a bit happy in a confused sort of way. She thought, _'Why is it that I'm happy? This is Lelouch, the man known as the demon emperor. He is hated by everyone, and yet, this right now…'_

Milly let out one last wail. "Okay, I give up. You win Lelouch."

"See? That wasn't so hard to do was it?" Lelouch grinned and surprisingly and abruptly ceased his movements. He pulled away and took a few moments to brush himself off. Looking satisfied, he glanced back at Milly, who was still on the ground, slightly out of breath and exhausted.

Milly slowly pushed herself up and onto her feet. She too brushed herself off and fixed her clothing. "Aw, you ruined my hair Lelouch."

"It's your fault for moving around so much."

"Well what did you expect? You caught me off guard." Milly sighed and fixed her hair back to what it was. "And besides, I am a girl. And when it comes to being tickled, we are more sensitive to it."

Lelouch found her attitude to be a bit annoying, but he waved it off. He knew that Milly always enjoyed being the one in control.

"In any case, I wanted to talk to you about something?"

Milly looked surprised. "You mentioned that before you attacked me, you did want to talk about something. Now what is it you want to discuss?"

Lelouch sighed and took a deep breath. "I will be holding a public execution at the end of the month."

For a moment, Milly felt blindsided by this gesture. She knew that he had become ruthless over the course of taking the throne and enslaving the world. But being blunt with the thought of execution; that was something she never thought he would say to her directly.

"And you want me to be there to record the whole thing, right?"

"No"

Milly felt more confused about his reply.

"I want you to be monitoring it from the news van. I want you to make sure that everything is going smoothly. I want it to glorify my name as well. I have even prepared a script for the speaker." Lelouch pulled a group of papers from his coat pocket and handed them to Milly. Lelouch continued as she went over the script. "I want you to make a copy of this script and give it to the designated speaker. Make sure that the speaker reads the exact script, and no editing of the script as well. You got that Milly?"

Milly flipped the last page over and held onto the script. She took a few moments and gazed into his eyes. All that she saw was the cold, stern look he had always put on even during high school. She continued to search their reaches, but found no sign that the old Lelouch was in him anymore. She could only nod in compliance.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me." Lelouch turned to leave, but was caught by the sleeve by Milly.

"You've changed, Lelouch."

"Have I? And how would that be?"

Milly swallowed hard. "You don't have that same aura around you anymore."

Lelouch scoffed. "I have not changed Milly. It's just that you have never known the real me."

Milly clenched her hand. "Then that boy who came to my house that one day, the same boy whom stayed with my family, was he just a lie?"

Lelouch fell silent as he listened to Milly.

"All of those times we had fun, me and you, with Nunnally, with the student council, was it all just pointless to you?"

To Lelouch, it was not pointless. He knew that deep within his heart, he had fun being together with his friends and sister. He knew that it was not a lie, but he could not give it away. He needed to end this as painless as possible.

Milly shook her head and put a smile on her face. "Jeez, now you got me all worked up for nothing. I guess it can't be helped; people are entitled to their opinion." She acted like she was waving off the tension.

Lelouch knew she was feigning being positive. He knew that she would always do something like that when things got too serious. He liked that about her; she would always be looking towards the bright side of life. He uttered a small laugh, which caught Milly off guard.

"You were always like that, Milly; always trying to make others feel better." When Lelouch smiled, Milly thought that she had seen it; the flicker of Lelouch's old self was still there. But she could not believe that what she saw was really true.

"I'm kinda glad that you can still be so positive about this."

"I guess you could say that is what I've always wanted to do for others; to put a smile on their faces." Milly giggled at her own incompetence to the real situation.

"It is what makes you so attractive for others." Milly glanced at Lelouch and saw his smile once again, the same one she had thought she'd seen before. "It is ironic that you'd go into the news profession with such an ability." Lelouch had playfully scoffed at the notion.

"That's cruel of you Lelouch."

The two engaged in a small fit of laughter at their words. To Lelouch, he was slightly content to see that Milly had not really changed at all, while Milly felt happy that she could see the old Lelouch, the one she knew, at least for the while. When the laughter stopped, the air around the two became heavy with a slight awkwardness.

"You know," Milly began to speak. Lelouch listened. "I used to really like you, Lelouch. You were always too serious, but in the sense that people can really understand you, and admire you. When we were young, I always thought of you as my better half; whereas you were too serious while I was too positive. We went together pretty well if you think about it." Lelouch lost his smile as he continued to listen.

"I may have looked to the positives most of my life, but I have never denied the negatives of society or the world. I may have overlooked a few things, but I cannot deny what has transpired between you and society, including us and the world."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

The two fell once again into the awkward silence. Neither of them could deny what Lelouch has done. To do so, was to betray everything and everyone. For Milly, it was a bit painful to be standing in front of the man who has become the one enemy of the world, to be standing in front of her former long time friend. For Lelouch, it was something he did not want to absolve himself of, but it was something that should be ended in haste, but still meaningful. He knew that it would have to just be this way up until the end.

"In any case, I will make sure it goes well, your majesty."

"I know. I just hope that nothing bad will happen to me." He scoffed knowing that this was just the first step to his final plans. He turned towards the door once more and approached it. Before he opened the door, he turned his head to Milly. She was still looking towards him.

"I guess that I'll never get to keep that promise Milly."

She raised her eyes in confusion. At that moment, she saw what seemed like a regretful look in his eyes.

"I will no longer be joining you for any fireworks…anymore."

With that, Lelouch exited the room, leaving a heavy silence for her to bear. She then turned away from the door and glanced at the script again. She sighed in defeat.

As Lelouch headed back to the van, he glanced once more at the control room, then he joined up with his guards and left. In the van, he looked out into the bright blue sky. The sound of fireworks and laughter rang in his ears. He could not turn back the hands of time, nor could he wish for something like that to happen before he dies.

'_I hope that you will always stay positive, Milly.'_

It was a long ride back to the palace. It was a long and lonely ride for Lelouch indeed. But to him, it was just one link out of the many binds that he must now sever. It would be a long week for him indeed as well.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, First off, I've always admired the sort of secret relationship Milly and Lelouch had during their lives, even though it was only shown when they talked in private and only about security on Lelouch's and Nunnally's identities. Second, I wanted to make this chapter into a combined chapter with my other later writings in this story, but I think I can get more just giving each person their own chapter. And third, did you really think that I was going to have Lelouch rape Milly? Seriously, what do you take me for? I believe that Lelouch should stay a virgin (cruel yes but that's how I think of it). Real heroes die as virgins. But in any case, I appreciate feedback, just R&R. Thanks for sticking to the story.


	9. One Too Many Executions

The van rumbled along the empty highway out of Tokyo. Lelouch had kept his eyes set on the sky and the horizon. He felt somewhat at ease when he gazed at it, but it felt more surreal that he should feel so calm at such a time. But he did not mind it one bit. He began to feel very tired, as if being lulled into sleep by the passing scenery. It was something new to him. Back when he had been in royalty, he was taught to be proper and to always be alert wherever he went. He remembered staying still for hours in carriages with nothing to do but sit. He remembered how Nunnally used to fidget when she had been taught the same manner, and how he would put on a smile for her to mask his discomfort.

Lelouch pondered what Milly had said to him. _"Then was the Lelouch from back then, the one who came to my house, was he just a lie?"_ He shook his head in disbelief. _'Of course not Milly' _he thought to himself, wanting to say that to her back when she first asked. Back then, Lelouch had already felt a loss that could not be replaced. Not only from him mother's death, but from the forced separation between Suzaku and both Nunnally and himself. Back then, he never considered the possibility of attaining such happiness again. Lelouch grunted. _'Even so, I wished that things would have gotten considerably better between society and me. I guess that I would have wanted it to be like that.' _

**Lelouch's P.O.V**

I have never thought of anything more than revenge back then. The happiness, my happiness, had already been lost due to my mother's death and the crippling of my sister. In truth, that's what I had thought at first. But when Suzaku came into our lives, he inevitably saved me from a lasting depression. Our times together were like a dream; incidentally reminding me of when Nunnally and I used to play with our brothers and sisters. Maybe I was too quick to accept the thought of friendship as happiness because it wouldn't have been long until my homeland, or rather my father, sought war on Japan.

Being taken away from Suzaku did indeed leave a scar on my psyche, but I still had Nunnally with me. And although she was blind and couldn't walk, her smile was all I needed to reassure my own self worth. It was then that I had figured out a purpose, or rather a goal, and that was to make Nunnally smile once more. Not like the smiles she had during our exile, but when we were still living the good life. And so I steeled my resolve and locked my heart away. Never again would I let myself be despaired by any other, for I would no longer try to make an effort to do so. All I needed was Nunnally.

At the Ashfords, I met Milly, a spunky little ball of energy just waiting to burst out. Sadly, I was the one to get most of that energy taken out on. She pestered me when I was alone and took any chance to surprise me and Nunnally. In a way, she was just like Euphemia; her attitude towards me was very annoying and persistent. But then I would see her play with Nunnally as well, going off and talking to each other while I stayed in my room. I had seen many times that Nunnally would smile at Milly and then the two would laugh. I felt a warm disposition coming from my heart, the heart I had sought to close away and only give to Nunnally. Whether it was happiness or not, it made me feel quite content to see her smiling again. For that, I found that Milly had become like a friend to me and Nunnally, just like Suzaku.

I cannot say that the child back then was a lie, but it also wasn't that the child back then was completely real. After the incident, I knew that I had lost something important, and it wasn't my mother nor was it Suzaku. It was something inside of me that was lost…maybe "changed" instead of lost. Looking back on it, it seemed so trivial and useless for such a stubborn child to be like that. But in doing so, I can only thank and curse that which had changed me and made me what I am today.

Milly, if there was anything to say that would help you through these times, I would say to not stop being yourself, and that I have always valued your friendship and maybe even your love; not only for Nunnally, but for me as well. I'm sorry that I could not, and will not be able to say it to you in person.

**Author P.O.V**

Lelouch grew more tired the more he dwelled upon such fragile memories of his youth. It wouldn't be long until he subjected himself to sleep on the way back to the palace.

Back at the palace, Lelouch came out of the van after it stopped. What awaited him were a frustrated Suzaku and a most relieved Jeremiah. Before he could speak a word, Suzaku went first in a hasty fury.

"Where the hell have you been Lelouch?!"

"I was out doing an errand of mine."

"My lord, it is not safe to go out considering your current state to the public." Jeremiah spoke with concern in his voice.

Lelouch waved it off. "I trust that nothing has gone wrong, Jeremiah?"

"Of course not your majesty."

Lelouch nodded and walked past the three.

"Where are you going now Lelouch?"

"I'm still trying to complete the necessary preparations before the end of the month. I have some business with my captives."

"What are you going to do exactly?"

Lelouch turned his head toward the group. "I'm tying up some loose ends is all."

"And what does that mean Lelouch?"

He sighed. "If you want to know more, I suggest you watch the afternoon news." With that, Lelouch walked off and into the corridor before them. The two men were left confused and pondering Lelouch's words.

To Lelouch, it seemed irrelevant to give out more to the two than necessary. What he was doing now was something that he must do for himself alone. There was not really much need to have a second or third wheel that would worry.

Lelouch turned a corner and bumped into C.C.

"Oh, hey C.C" Lelouch spoke calmly.

C.C. brushed herself off and picked up her plush toy quite quickly. "Can't you watch where you are going Lelouch?"

"Is that how you say 'hi' to me?" Lelouch joked a bit, knowing that sarcasm was just another way of communication between him and C.C.

C.C. smirked. "I don't know, do you think you deserve something more after you left without saying a word?"

Lelouch was surprised to hear such a remark. "Heh, I guess you've got a point there."

He noticed that C.C. had the same look on her face as he did. But before she could reply, he breezed right passed her.

C.C. did not turn to look at him immediately. Rather, she took the time to digest the importance of his words. She smiled and turned toward Lelouch and followed.

At the sight of this Lelouch felt a bit annoyed. "Where exactly are you going?" he said under his breath.

C.C. did not turn to look at Lelouch and simply replied. "Is it a problem that I follow you?"

"It is…" Lelouch started. "But if it is you, then I wouldn't care either way."

C.C. felt surprised to see that Lelouch did not mind her company, despite previous engagements where he had rather been left alone. The two continued to walk, not minding the passing silence. But even the time of silence seemed brief as they continued to walk down corridor after corridor.

Halfway to his destination, Lelouch suddenly spoke to C.C.

"C.C., I was wondering…"

C.C. glanced at Lelouch for a moment. "What is it?"

"Have you ever…enjoyed your life?"

C.C. raised her eyebrow in complete disbelief. "What brought this on?"

"I was just wondering and…well, have you?"

It took some time for C.C. to come up with a reply. "Have I ever really enjoyed my life? Well, if you have ever lived for as much time as I have, you kind of lose the sense of joy you have for your own life. I've seen many die and have experienced death myself. I know of a pain you will never get to experience, or even remember experiencing."

The two turned another corridor down.

"I have been tortured by humans because of intolerance with an unknown. I have seen my fellow immortals die after passing on their codes to their successors and die with sad smiles upon their faces. I've been through hell and back many times. I've experienced many feelings as well; compassion, infatuation, jealousy, betrayal, despair, all of which have hardened my heart over the years. I lived as an abandoned orphan and had been taken in by kindness, only to be used and thrown away afterwards. So have I enjoyed my life?"

There was no answer to that reply. Lelouch and C.C. both knew that that was not an enjoyable life. It was the opposite of that indeed.

"If it were an enjoyable life, I'm pretty sure people would call you a masochist" stated Lelouch.

C.C. cracked a smile for a moment at such audacity. "I'm not surprised that the Demon King himself would say that."

"Well, life gives you many surprises."

The two exited the corridor. To C.C.'s surprise, they had ended up in the prison block of the palace. There were barely any shouts this time around. To Lelouch, it seemed a bit fitting for the prisoners to angry at him when he appeared before them. When Lelouch was done basking in his own hated glory, he continued onward, checking the prisoner cell blocks from the left side to the right. As he approached, he could see numerous familiar faces, now made unfamiliar with distant, fatigued gazes. He had successfully broken most, if not all of their spirits with his power and dominance. He went further on, slowly taking his time to take in each gaze one by one, as if painting a memorable image of each one of them in his mind. C.C. also looked at them, but with condescending eyes, as if pitying their current state and futility.

By the time Lelouch had gotten to the end of cell blocks, he gazed at a clock above one of the cell blocks. It read: 2:58 pm. Lelouch sighed and turned toward C.C.

"I think it is about time for the news to spread."

C.C. was in confusion. "What do you mean Lelouch?"

"This is what I mean." Lelouch walked toward the center console and grabbed the microphone.

Elsewhere, Jeremiah and Suzaku were in the surveillance room, checking out the security and scanning screens.

"Isn't it about time for the afternoon news?" asked Suzaku.

Jeremiah nodded and turned toward the servants. "Bring up the Local News channel!"

"Yes sir!"

On the major screen popped the logo for the Local News Network. To Suzaku, it was a bit nostalgic to see Milly on the television again. The first time was after her graduation when she became the weather girl for the same network. Suzaku cracked a smile as Milly showed up onscreen.

"Hello again, I'm Milly Ashford and here's the news for the afternoon."

While she did her overview, Jeremiah turned to Suzaku.

"Is that the same Milly Ashford of the Ashford family?"

"Yes she is."

Jeremiah had an astounded gaze in his eyes. "I'm surprised that the granddaughter of Ruben K. Ashford is a news broadcaster."

Suzaku looked surprised at his words. "How do you know them?"

Jeremiah smirked. "I've known them since I was under charge of Marianne vi Britannia. I have known them to be a benefactor to her majesty."

"Oh…"

"But first, I have an important announcement from Emperor Lelouch himself."

The two turned their heads toward the screen at the mentioning of Lelouch's name.

"Attention all prisoners!" shouted Lelouch through the microphone. "I have something interesting to say to most of you." He knew that at least most would listen while others paid no mind to him.

"I have just received word from the emperor himself" Milly started. "That one week from today…"

"At the start of the next month…"Lelouch began. "You prisoners of war, soldiers, traitors, and captured representatives of the U.F.N…"

"His majesty, Lelouch vi Britannia, will be holding an…"

"Are hereby, in solidifying my rule, sentenced to an…"

"Execution…"

The silence that came with the revelation became overwhelming to those who heard it from the news and Lelouch himself. It was as if the world stopped in its tracks for a moment, suspending life within the void of time itself. It was as if death had struck prematurely and the ghoulish silence seemed to feel like poison entering the body. The prisoners were silent, the servants were silent, Jeremiah and Suzaku were struck with disbelief, C.C. with eyes wide open could see an aura of sorrow radiating from the atmosphere, and the world itself was now deaf to noise and mute with grief.

But as the silence came, so did it leave in an instant. Sound returned to the world, and it was not wonderful.

"Yes, the Emperor will be holding an execution at the end of the month. One can only assume that it might be an execution of the prisoners of war that his majesty has captured. The Local News Network will be at the scene on that day to record the historic procession. Now in other news…"

"I will personally attend to your execution. It will be broadcasted to the world to prove that no one can and will stand against me. So I suggest you start counting your prayers before the week is out."

Lelouch left the console and returned to C.C., whom he found completely shocked at the news. "Come C.C., I've got some work to do." C.C. shook herself out of her daze and followed Lelouch. As the two left, they were bombarded with yells and jeers, as well as pleas and sobbing.

"You have truly gone mad, Lelouch" stated C.C. under her own breath.

For Suzaku and Jeremiah, the news was indeed shocking.

"I can't believe it…"stated Suzaku as he gazed at the screen.

Jeremiah was retaining his composure all throughout the ordeal.

"How can Lelouch announce something like that?"

"It is because he is the emperor."

Suzaku felt his anger growing. "How can you stay so calm?! Don't you have any remorse?"

"What is there to feel bad about?"

Suzaku grasped Jeremiah by the collar. "You have no sense of chivalry at all! If you did, then it wouldn't be like this! Lelouch would not have gone and done something like this!"

Jeremiah fixed his gaze onto the screen. "Did you forget about his majesty's plans?"

It took a few moments for Suzaku to understand what Jeremiah had said. But when he did, he let go of the collar.

"Lelouch is planning something big if he leaked this out to the news. We must trust in his methods to the very end."

Suzaku let his gaze fall to the ground. "It is for the Zero Requiem…" Suzaku knew that what conspired now had to have been for the completion of the Zero Requiem. "Even so…" Suzaku could not shake the feeling of moral outrage as he clenched his fist. _'How much more blood must Lelouch shed?'_

It would all have to be for the Zero Requiem, but just how far did Suzaku think that Lelouch would go in order to put an end to it all? In truth, he began to feel unsure about this plot the more it began to twist down a path he could not foresee.

To C.C., Lelouch had gone completely insane with the announcing of the execution. Her mind now felt distraught and completely drained of energy when thinking about Lelouch and his plans for the future. She considered just giving up on trying to change Lelouch's mind. It was too far off in the plans to try and change it now.

As for Lelouch, he became a bit at ease following the announcement. _'Now is the time to really tie up the loose ends to this life of mine.' _He smiled. _'All is now going as planned.'_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay now this chapter I can consider it rushed. I wanted to continue with the final messages but I just wanted to get this out before I did so. First off, I really wanted to show how far Lelouch was willing to go to further taint his existence, so I had him declare the execution to the prisoners, while having Milly just announce the general execution order for Lelouch, purposely not giving out any names and such. Second, it was kinda hard to keep Suzaku, Jeremiah and C.C. in character because the impact of another unknown had indeed affected them in a way. Third, having to pull a psychotic episode of power out of Lelouch seemed hard at first because his usual way would have been subtle yet still surprising. Forgive me if the characters seemed OOC and thanks again for reading. Please R&R…thanks again. 


	10. Closure Through Interrogation

It had been a few hours since Lelouch and Milly announced the execution. Not surprisingly, news of the execution spanned far within the first hour. Hardly anyone was oblivious to the announcement. For the world, it had seemed that by the end of the month all freedom would now be forfeited to Lelouch's hegemonic monarchy. And so the people began to mourn their lost liberty, for that was the only thing they could do now.

At the palace, the prisoners were distraught and helpless, unable to change their dreadful fates. Many consented to prayers, some committed suicide by various means; bludgeoning themselves into a bloody pulp mostly while others played as mercy killers. All felt despair. When the guards patrolled the cells, upon seeing the bodies they immediately removed the corpses without a sense of grief. How could they when they were made to be void of all feelings? And if that wasn't the worst of it, the guards did not bother to mop up the blood trails, leaving them as if to purposely frighten the captives.

When dinner plates were collected, one can assume that barely anyone had touched the food. Sobs continued and prayers were continuously held in what little groups were left in each cell. Yes, the announcement had taken its toll, and now fear resided in place of old and dead cellmates.

It was after dinner that Lelouch would get word of the recent decline in prisoner numbers. For Lelouch, it seemed as if things were going too good for his purpose. In the back of his mind he knew that there would have been a few prisoners that could not take the news well, but to think that such people would commit suicide was unexpected. But he could not allow himself to be phased by the sudden changes anymore. What occurred cannot be changed, but it can be pitied.

Lelouch sat in his room by a desk close to the window. The gazes of the twilight had shown through the glass, revealing that the sun was about to set. He sighed and gazed downward at the item on the desk; Zero's mask. Lelouch grasped the helmet and peered into the violet visor, as if looking into the soul of the mask itself. For a good few minutes he looked at the front of the mask, and then placed it back down onto the desktop.

'_Zero'_ he thought. _'The man of miracles, the hero of the people, the symbol of justice…how ironic that I, Lelouch vi Britannia, the Demon King, once donned the same visage for the world. Now it is impossible for me to play that role…and yet it is crucial to have him slay me to free the world.'_

Just then, Lelouch heard a knock on his door.

"Come in…"

As the door opened, it revealed Suzaku.

"Ah, Suzaku, what brings you here?"

Suzaku closed the door gently and begun to speak.

"I need to know Lelouch…"

"What?"

"Are you really going through with the execution?"

Lelouch exhaled a reluctant sigh.

"Why do you ask me? Of course I am…"

"So…" Suzaku's fist began to tighten. "You really plan on killing everyone for the Zero Requiem…"

Lelouch spotted Suzaku's hand and sighed once again.

"I plan to go through with the execution not for the Zero Requiem, but for my own purposes."

Suzaku glanced at Lelouch in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the execution as you call it will be for the good of everyone. I intend to demonstrate the true potential of such corrupt power as my own by having humanity witness the true extent of dictatorship. I plan to have my name tainted with absolute evil to free the world of evil itself."

"So, you are going to spill more blood to do so?"

Lelouch shook his head. "As I said, I plan to dirty my name; I never said anything about actually killing anyone." Lelouch began to laugh playfully.

Suzaku was left with mixed feelings. In his mind, he believed that no one in their right mind would do such a horrible thing just to prove a point, and then laugh like it was nothing. He did worry that his best friend was going a bit too far though, but it was already too late to change things.

"Are you really that worried about my plans?"

Suzaku broke out of his mental thinking and looked at Lelouch. To Suzaku, it seemed inappropriate for him to be asking that question. And although he did worry, he knew that with the situation as it was now, the only factor that would hinder the plan was if either of them doubted the plan itself. By far, that was the last thing that they wanted. But for Suzaku, if they were to have allowed anything between each other, it would have to be the truth.

"No, but I do hope that it does go perfectly for all of us."

"It would have to, or else all of what we have done so far would be for nothing."

Suzaku nodded and was about to leave, that was until he spotted the helmet on the desk.

"Why do you have that out?" He pointed to the mask.

"Oh" Lelouch shot a glance at the mask and smirked. "I also have plans to make use of this as well." He looked back at Suzaku, whom had now been baffled at how he could make use of his persona. "Although I am still planning that stage out for now, so don't worry about it."

Suzaku nodded and paused for a moment before leaving the room.

Lelouch glanced back at the mask and then back to the dark blue sky. _'Though, I think that now I have the means to make use of Zero as well, Suzaku.'_

About an hour later, after taking a shower and dressing himself for bed, Lelouch once again stared at the mask. He knew that the only problem with using Zero was whether or not some of the Black Knights, specifically those who tried to sell Lelouch out to Schneizel, as well as a few others; mainly the last of the Chinese federation (Xingke, Tianzi, and their subordinates), not to mention Kaguya and Kallen, would start to suspect some kind of ploy with the appearance of Zero. To Lelouch, it was something minor that would have hardly any effect against his already disgraced name.

Taking it into his hand, he gazed at it once more, looking aver every detail, every scratch and knick that it received during various times. To Lelouch, the mask was just like him, still standing after such abuse, showing scars that he did not need but willingly took. Its weight was a little bit heavy, but he had gotten used to it. Even though he adorned it most of the time when he was outside, not showing his real face, it felt to him like the mask was indeed his own face. And yet, Lelouch still let it slip away when it no longer became necessary for him to wear it. _'I guess that is the nature of humans…' _he thought. _'They throw away that which is useless or horrible to them.'_ He proceeded to the closet and placed the helmet on its pedestal.

Lelouch then went over to his bed. With a quick sigh, he let himself fall onto the blanket.

"Alone again" he spoke. Sitting upright, Lelouch let his mind wander about the recent events. Everything seemed to go well with barely any hindrances. He smiled when he remembered the nostalgia such thoughts brought to him; when he was young and when he was still Zero.

A knock came from the door.

"It's open…"

Lelouch was slightly surprised that this time around it was C.C. at the door.

"What is it C.C.?" he asked.

C.C. approached Lelouch. "It's nothing really; I just want to talk to you."

Lelouch nodded as C.C. stopped in front of him. For a moment, he just stared at C.C. who was standing over him. Then, he patted the side of the bed. "Sit."

C.C. smiled and brought herself down by his side. Lelouch noticed that she had sat very close to him, more closely than he thought at least.

"You surprised me back there."

"What do you mean?"

"Back at the prison block; hearing you telling the people that you were going to have them executed. It surprised me."

Lelouch grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah." C.C. sighed. "Although, I'm still pretty much baffled by the whole notion of having them executed."

"I lied…"

C.C. whipped her head quickly toward Lelouch. "What?"

Lelouch sighed and looked back at C.C. "I said I lied. The whole execution thing is a lie."

"W-what do you mean a lie?"

"I mean that the execution…well let's just say that it is not an execution per se."

C.C. sat shocked and baffled. "Exactly what do you mean by that?"

"There will be an execution, and there will be the prisoners as well at the execution, but…" Lelouch unconsciously clasped his hands together. "Do you remember when I said that by the end of the month my existence would come to an end?"

C.C. nodded silently.

"Well, I mean that…that is to say…at the execution…there will be an execution…"

"Spit it out already Lelouch."

Lelouch felt his hands clasp tighter and tighter.

"This execution will be…my own."

To C.C., the news was devastating. For Lelouch to drop this on her was unheard of, to her at least. Though she knew that the timing of the execution and the fact that Lelouch would die by the start of the next month was somewhat coincidental, she still could not help but feel a bit saddened by the news. In an instant, she stood up from the bed.

Lelouch took her hand and stood with her.

"Please understand that this is the course that must be taken."

"Let go" C.C. whispered.

"I'm sorry that I had to tell you this now, but you have to just trust me on this C.C."

"Let go of my hand." C.C. started to struggle out of Lelouch's grip.

"I never meant to hurt you like this C.C. I've always wanted to spare you from this type of suffering."

"Let me go!" C.C. managed to finally free herself from his grasp and placed some distance between them. Lelouch was left stunned in place. He couldn't help but gaze at her from behind.

"You promised…"

Lelouch was further confused. C.C. turned her head back toward Lelouch. He instantly noticed the sadness in her eyes. Fearing that tears would begin to spill, C.C. turned away.

"You broke the contract, Lelouch. Our contract…"

Lelouch lowered his head. "I know, and I'm sorry."

C.C. soon left the room. As the door closed, Lelouch stood in place for a while, reflecting on his relationship with C.C. He remembered how he promised to grant her wish, which was the wish to die, and then how he promised to grant her death so long as she smiled before it. To him, at the time, it seemed like a pretty convenient excuse to keep her by his side. But reflecting on it now made him feel all the more horrible.

'_I'm such a terrible person' _he commented to himself as he scratched his head. Feeling the fatigue of the day setting in, he turned off the lights and went to bed.

The next morning Lelouch continued through the day by making preparations in a small room close to the prisoner cells. It was used as a standard interrogation room; a regular table in the middle, one chair on one end and a few on the other, all cameras now removed, and a hanging lamp above the table with enough light to illuminate the room. Not to mention sound proof from the outside as well. When all was done, he had poked his head through the door. He saw a few guards coming toward the room. He exited the room and met up with them.

"Orders sir?" spoke one the guards.

Lelouch reached into his coat pocket and pulled forth a piece of paper. He handed the paper over to the guard.

"I want you the gather these prisoners and have them restrained so that there is no retaliation. Then I want you to bring them here in one line against the wall. From there, I will motion for each to come into the room either individually or in a group. Escort them into the room and make sure that they cannot escape from their seats. When I am done, I will knock on the door. You will then escort them back to their cells. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord!"

With that, Lelouch went back into the room and waited for the guards to return. In his solitude, he reflected on a few peculiar things. For one, he did not see C.C. during the morning when he woke up; not even at breakfast did he see her. Perplexing as it was, he guessed that she might still have been dwelling on what happened last night. As much as he wanted to try and talk to her once more, he figured that she needed some time to herself. He knew that what happened last night was intense for the two of them. He knew that if a person ever did tell something of that magnitude to a person they thought dear, the person would probably not take it that easily. Though for Lelouch, after spending a good amount of time with C.C., he found himself still amazed at how C.C. reacted. A woman who has experienced a great deal of events should be emotionally dead at one point in her life.

'_Maybe that's why I have trouble understanding women in general' _he speculated.

Another point he contemplated was trying to foresee the reactions of those whom he would want to meet. He knew that any number of the prisoners would want to get revenge on him. And to have them even a foot away seemed like suicide. But he knew that what he was going to do was something he personally needed to accomplish so that he can find some solace in the fact that his methods were the only course of action to take. He had to get some closure with the people he once stood beside.

A knock soon came from the door. Lelouch knew then that this was the moment of truth. This would be the final thing he would need to do before "his" execution. He opened the door, and sure enough, the guards stood in file. Lelouch exited the room and took a long, hard look at the prisoners he had sent for. Each had gags and had their arms and legs restrained with short chain cuffs. He smiled, to keep his image up, and started to examine the lineup. The prisoners were worn out and looking quite uneasy. He knew that there had been suicides, but he knew that none had happened in their cells. Nonetheless, Lelouch continued to look them over. Afterwards, he pointed his finger at one of the people in the line up. All eyes were now on the prisoner.

"You go first, Nina Einstein."

Two guards soon held Nina by her arms. She at first struggled to break free, but the chains were proving how futile it was to escape. And with the gag on her, she had no way of screaming for help; like it could have mattered now that she was in Lelouch's hands.

Lelouch looked at the guards. "Take her in and strap her down."

"Yes my lord."

As the two guards brought her into the room, Lelouch glanced back at the lineup and smirked.

"You all will have your chance soon. But for now, be patient."

Lelouch snapped his fingers and soon more guards surrounded the perimeter, sealing off any escape as human shields while pointing their guns at the prisoners. Lelouch noticed that everything was secured and headed back into the room. As he sat down, the two guards were finished with strapping Nina down into the chair.

"Leave us now."

The two guards nodded at left.

When Lelouch turned toward Nina, he noticed that she was nervous. He sighed and gazed at her. He knew that it couldn't be helped; she was indeed quite shy when he first saw her. He made it a point to try and not be so intimidating to her.

"Relax Nina; nothing is going to harm you."

Nina gazed at Lelouch for a moment to calm down.

"W-what are you going to do to me?" she asked timidly; it reminded him of how she was like this during high school.

"I'm going to be asking you a few questions. Oh but don't worry, these are just general questions for me to you."

Nina, now feeling even calmer, nodded to Lelouch.

"Now let's get started."

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, I know that I promised to start the next chapter (this chapter) as the beginning of the questioning of certain prisoners, but thanks to a last minute idea, I've once again reformatted the recent chapter. Now, don't be alarmed, I promise that the next chapter will be about the individual "interrogations" of the prisoners that Lelouch has lined up. And yes, I started off with Nina because that is what I had originally planned to do after Milly. But you have to wait for the next chapter to see what happens next…thanks for sticking with the story and please R&R.


	11. Final Message For You: Nina Einstein

Lelouch took a seat opposite to Nina and waited as the two guards strapped her into the chair, barely fighting against her resistant nature. Needless to say it was easy to secure her in the chair. When the deed was done, they carefully removed the gag from her. Lelouch could see that she had been uneasy since the whole ordeal started. Knowing Nina, he decided to start out slow.

"Feeling nervous aren't we?" he stated with a little levity in his voice. To him, it was in good intentions. He saw her looking straight at him now with a stern, yet yielding gaze, as if fearing the worst was to come.

Lelouch waved his hand. "Don't worry; I'm not going to kill you Nina."

_'Far from it even' _he stated mentally.

"I'm just here to talk with you."

To Nina, it seemed weird to have a normal talk with anyone due to her shy demeanor. And to talk with the man known as the Demon King seemed to make things feel so out of place. Eventually she calmed herself down. "Okay Lelouch."

"Good, now let's get started."

Lelouch moved his chair closer to the table and leaned in forward, hands now upon the table.

"First off, I want you to tell me your thoughts."

"What?"

"I want you to tell me what you are feeling now. What is it that is going through your mind?"

"At this moment?"

Lelouch nodded.

"Well, if I have anything to say, first off, it would be that you have really changed the world."

"Oh? And what may I say does that exactly mean to you?"

Nina saw that Lelouch was sternly looking towards her. As nervous as she was, she continued.

"It means that things are not the same anymore. You have definitely created a world that is more troublesome and desolate than before. You have killed so many people, more than you have now imprisoned in this place. You have brought nations to their knees with your power and geass. And since now I will eventually stare death in the face by the end of the month, I can only hope that it will set me free from your world. In short, I'd rather die than live in this corrupted world."

"I never thought that this would be the fate of the world had I helped you out with the creation of the F.L.E.I.A Eliminator."

"Do you regret helping me?"

Nina shook her head. "A part of me does regret, but I guess that when you told me that your actions were for Princess Euphemia's will, I could not really stop you from doing this; rather, maybe I just didn't find the power to do so."

Lelouch leaned back in his chair.

"But I still can't forgive Zero for taking her away from me." Nina sighed. "No, I might have already forgiven him, but I will not forget what happened. I will not forget the pain of losing her."

"Neither will I." Lelouch had noticed that Nina had an irregular acknowledgement for Euphemia. He knew what it was like to love her just like Nina.

"What is it about her that you find so noble? What makes you seem so infatuated with her?"

For a moment, Nina paused and reflected on her thoughts for the late princess.

"Back when we, the student council and I, were held hostage in that hotel, I was chosen to be one of the executed. I was absolutely terrified by those elevens whom tried to take me away. When no one came to my aid, Princess Euphemia stood up for me and was taken away instead. When I saw her, she was like a radiant light shining through the fear. And to hear that she was a princess was just awe-inspiring. I had met her again to give my thanks to her, but she thanked me instead for showing her the strength to carry on with what she believed was just. I have never met anyone like her in my life. She was my symbol of hope for the world. And when Zero, you, took her away, I wanted nothing but revenge."

"I know; you did come at me with a knife after all."

"I was lost, having no one to look to for comfort. That was until Prince Schneizel and Kanon came to me. Although I felt eternally saddened without Princess Euphemia, having someone to comfort me was good enough."

"Why did you not open up to the student council then? Why did you keep it to yourself?"

"To tell you the truth, I never wanted to do so. Every time I saw you guys, whenever things got serious, Milly would wave it off and move such things aside. Rivalz was no help at all, trying to suck up to Milly. Shirley was always worried about the president getting in her business, and if it wasn't that, then it was always something about you Lelouch. She would pine away at how to get you to be hers, every single minute she would think of ways to do so; I just got sick of hearing it all the time. And as for Suzaku, well…"

"You couldn't trust any Japanese." Lelouch knew that Nina had that sense of xenophobia within her soul.

Nina nodded. "And as for you Lelouch, you were hardly ever around to talk, and if you were, you'd be acting like loner."

"You could have just come to me or Nunnally if that was how you think of them."

"How could I? You were gone, and talking about these things to Nunnally seemed out of the question. I felt like I was alone even when I was with the student council. Princess Euphemia would be the only one there for me, even if she was a princess."

For a moment there was silence between them. Lelouch understood Nina and quickly spoke to break the silence.

"Did you know that Euphemia loved Suzaku?"

This caught Nina's attention. Lelouch instantly saw the disbelief in her eyes. It was the same eyes he had when he found out as well.

"And did you know that I too fell in love with Euphemia?"

Nina shook her head. "I-I don't believe it…"

"Do you want me to tell you about what Euphemia was like?"

Nina nodded hastily. "Please tell me."

Lelouch inhaled a breath and sighed.

"Euphemia li Britannia, my dearest sister, second only to Nunnally. We were half siblings from different mothers. When I was a child, Nunnally and I used to play with her and sometimes Cornelia, Clovis, and Schneizel. But I don't think that anyone in my family could have ever been as energetic and lively as her. I guess that is what I loved about her the most; she reminded me of how Nunnally was. When I was banished, she was away from the homeland, studying abroad. It would be years until I met her again. By that time, she had become sub viceroy to Area 11. She found out that I was Zero when we were stranded on Kaminejima. She told me how much she was relieved to see me alive. I remembered that Nunnally and I were presumed dead during the war. She visited before becoming viceroy of Japan."

"She had become the hope of the people, and an obstacle in Zero's path. I confronted her, intending on killing her, but when she told me that she disinherited herself, it was clear that she was not going to become something like my father. She even asked me to join with her in the S.A.Z. of Japan so that she can be happy with us. But it turned sour when I lost control over my geass, ultimately, and jokingly ordering her to execute all Japanese at the assembly. As terrible as it was, I used it to my advantage, and in the end I killed her."

Nina had a stern face on when the discussion came to him killing Euphemia.

"I know of no excuse, but I did it not only for my advantage; to show that justice needed to be served against corruption, but I did it to stop her from blackening her name any further."

"But it didn't work out, did it?" Nina stated afterwards.

Lelouch could only let his head fall in remorse. "I never intended to lose her, never intended for her to commit such an act. But I blame myself and geass for her death, just like Shirley's."

"Like Shirley's?"

"Ah, I haven't told anyone about it. Of all those times that Shirley had been by my side, I took it for granted. In truth, she was the first to discover my identity, me being Zero that is."

Nina gasped. "She did?"

"Yes, but she kept it to herself, I guess fearing that I would be killed. I did not understand it until I found out that her father had died while fighting against the Black Knights, during the battle of Narita. She came to me for comfort, but by then the truth was out to her. Then I was forced to confront her on it and soon found myself erasing her memories with my geass. I would have her on a clean slate, with no memory of having feelings for me. It would be a year until I encountered those same feelings of hers again, but this time when she was in the throes of death. Rolo told me that since she regained her memories, he mortally wounded her to protect me. I knew that she wouldn't have done so, but it was too late. I didn't want to lose her like Euphemia, so I tried to save her, but she refused and told me everything. She confessed her feelings and felt happy to have me beside her this time. I became stricken with grief once more and sought revenge."

Nina raised her head. "Who's Rolo?"

Lelouch shot a glance at her then continued. "At the time, he was sent to spy on me and played the role as my little brother. I thought that Milly had told you about it eventually."

Nina shook her head. "No since at the time I was with Lloyd and the science symposium. I was presenting my hypothesis on utilizing F.L.E.I.A warheads."

"Oh, so that's it?" he muttered out. He mentally congratulated her for becoming such a success.

"In any case, I know that I cannot be forgiven for what I've done. And so I sought this path to erase their sins from their names. My actions up to now may have been crass and unbelievable, but that is only because I seek the world that I promised to Nunnally."

"I see…"

"But I think that I'm selfish for saying that."

Lelouch leaned in again and gazed at Nina. He could sense that she needed some time to process what he had said. After a while, he spoke again.

"Nina, what do you think of me?"

She gazed up at him with a surprised look.

"Exactly what do you think of me overall?"

"Well…" It took some time for Nina to speak again since looking back on it, she had rarely been able to get to know the student council. But when she took a deep breath and calmed her nerves, she spoke.

"I must say that although you have done things for your own purposes, it can't be helped that what you have done was nothing short of atrocious. I can easily say that no one will ever forgive you for what you've done. Even when you were a part of the council, you really were a flake and a rebel. You've skipped class constantly and even gambled illegally. I daresay that you were a bad influence. But…" Lelouch felt surprised when she paused.

"You'd always come back to the council when you had to, and the side of you, your good side, always had shown brightly when you were with Nunnally. I was really amazed at how you could pull the hood over our heads when it came to hiding ulterior motives like being Zero. Overall, I'd say that you were a good person to know, but your methods and actions aren't overshadowed by this."

"I see." Lelouch nodded in respect. "I have indeed sinned beyond any normal human being. These hands of mine are stained with indiscriminate blood. And yet your hands are stained as well, aren't they?" Lelouch gazed at Nina as she momentarily stared at her own hands. "Tell me, are you afraid of death?"

Though she shuddered at the thought of it, she replied.

"Of course I fear death, but the fact that my creation had taken so many lives as well, makes me feel worse. At times, I wished that my pain would just end me. I cursed that weakness in my heart for a long time. At the time of the Black Rebellion, I was willing enough to sacrifice myself to avenge Princess Euphemia. But then the prototype F.L.E.I.A. failed to ignite. I tasted failure once more and felt distraught. "

A distant memory popped into her head at that moment. "Lloyd had once told me that I must choose whether to preserve my heart or to give it up for science. At the time I was still recovering from the fact that it was my own hands that created a weapon capable of destroying life. I thought that I had made the right decision, but you pulled me back into that same situation. Knowing that, I willingly helped you and prevented more deaths in the process. I just did not know what to do with my heart right then."

Nina glanced at Lelouch and pondered the look in his eyes.

"Is that what happened to you Lelouch?"

He smirked, knowing what to reply with. "I guess that I have had to do it. But sadly, mine had already been broken since the beginning."

Nina was caught by surprise by his words. "That was the same thing Lloyd said to me."

"Oh?" Lelouch wondered at how ironic it must have been to hear the same words again. "In truth, that was the only way I had left to live, to give up my heart to pursue that which I desired. I had to hold myself in a flawless manner." He stretched his arms wide, as if to grasp something that was not there, as if ready to bellow out loud to the heavens. "And thus look at where I am now, on top of the world. And below me are people who quake under my command." He grew a sadistic smile upon his face. "No one dare defies me lest they desire to meet with an early demise." He paused as he turned his gaze down and released his tense arms, drooping to the sides like limp noodles.

He spat out a short cackle. "I wonder what judgment has in store for us." He picked up his head and glanced at Nina. "Do you ever wonder about that? What exactly awaits you after death?"

Nina felt slightly uncomfortable as Lelouch went on.

"Do you believe in a heaven? In an abyss called Hell? Do you think that it is possible to live in a Hell on Earth? That paradise is where you want it to be? That when you die, you go to either one?"

Lelouch frowned. "Or do you believe that when we die, we just end up rotting in the ground with worms at our feet? That the dead have no place left to go?"

"I'm not really sure" she weakly replied. "All I know is that religion and science doesn't go together. And in truth, I probably don't want to know what happens afterwards. I can only think that what we do now is what we do."

Lelouch grinned. "That's what I thought as well."

"But if I were to really believe in religion, then I'd probably suffer for my sins anyway. I've killed countless with my creation, and I've lusted over another woman."

Lelouch knew that she meant it towards Euphemia.

"Tell me, why Euphemia and no one else? I know that she protected you and gave you hope, but you could have gotten it from so many others."

Nina shook her head. "I just don't know why it was only her that made me feel this way. I know its wrong, but then again, I've never been able to get things right with social activities. I'm too shy and afraid of so many uncertainties."

Lelouch could see that Nina was on the verge of tears. He figured that for her, it was hard to accept being different than what society wants. He also knew that she was still a girl trying to look for her own path. He thought that what she needed was some sentimentalism. Ironically, he was the only one at the moment that could console her woes. Sentimentalism was just one of the things he could not perfect, but he had to give it a try.

"Listen, you are going to run into things that seem overwhelming at first." Lelouch noticed that he had caught her attention. "But you must not forget that you are yourself, that you are first and foremost a human being, and that you must live by what you think is good."

Nina saw the frustration in Lelouch's eyes and couldn't help but smile somewhat at his effort.

"See to me, you are a good friend. And though we haven't really spoken to each other, I always felt that you were being even more serious that what you should have been, like me. But your subtle normality is what makes you a good friend."

Lelouch could feel himself going off topic and getting more amazed at how he himself is giving pointers on how to be a good friend. He scratched his head in frustration as he tried to make things sound simpler.

"What I'm trying to say is that you will find someone that will like you for who you are, but you must search for them. And don't be afraid of the heartbreak you may encounter along the way."

"Lelouch" Nina started. "Why are you telling me this? Isn't the execution at the end of the month?"

Lelouch noticed that he was talking about things that might not happen, at least to her knowledge. He knew in an instant that what he told her was meaningless if she thought that her execution would be real. But before he could retract his statement, Nina shook her head.

"Never mind that, Lelouch; it was nice that you tried to console me like this."

"Oh, well the nostalgia got to me, and in any case, I'm glad that we could have this talk too."

Nina looked at Lelouch and saw him smile. She brushed away her slightly perplexed manner and smiled back. In the back of her mind though, she wondered why Lelouch had talked about things that would not come to pass. It was not like she was going to live that long anyway. Somewhere in her heart, she felt like she had finally got to know the real Lelouch, and that she admitted to herself that she could still see a piece of Euphemia smiling at her through his own smile.

'_If by some miracle that I do stay alive, I will head towards my own future. I will no longer keep myself held back, tethered to the past. Princess Euphemia, if you can hear my thoughts, I want to say that I'm glad to have met you.'_ She glanced at Lelouch, who was now making his way towards the door. _'I'm also thankful to have met you too Lelouch.'_

Lelouch knocked on the door and then turned around to face Nina. She didn't quite expect his facial expression to be serious.

"My guards will escort you back to your cell. I trust that what has been said here will not be repeated to others, correct?"

For a moment Nina was taken by surprise by his now serious mood. But she waved it off and nodded.

"Yes, your majesty."

Lelouch nodded as another knock was heard. Lelouch had opened the door and soon two guards appeared. They immediately untied Nina from the chair and retied her in her original bindings and gag. Though feeling less scared, Nina felt more at ease with how things were. She still feared the thought of death, but for now, she placed a fake, scared look upon her face. She did not make eye contact with the other prisoners and soon disappeared with the two guards.

Lelouch felt fine with having said more than what was needed to Nina. Putting that aside, he faced toward the lineup and chose three people to come in this time around. As the three were brought in, Lelouch sighed with ease.

'_One down, and many more to go' _he thought as the metal door closed once more.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Oh my god, I thought that I'd never be able to get this far with this chapter. I thought "Since she barely had any relative purpose, I'd thought I'd give her one". I'm kinda glad at how this chapter came out without skewing the characters too much. Though, I did have a hard time trying to fill in the gaps of her character and her relationship with the student council and Euphemia. I think that her character is like an anomaly at times, but it is slightly easy to see her flaws and to be able to delve deeper into it as well.

Points of Interest:

Yes, I called her a xenophobe, but she did have the disdain for Japanese people, like Ms. Romeyer. And yes, I did go there when it came to Euphemia (I mean, it was obvious that she did in Season 1).

I wanted to have, like, a psycho-analytical talk between her and Lelouch. I figured that she at least get that much when talking with Lelouch. Seriously though, they were probably the most serious of the student council.

I chose her because she was a character that needed to be analyzed and explained to the fans.

Thanks to all of you who have stuck by me and the story. I could not have continued on without your support. Please R&R and I will probably update in about a week or so.


	12. Final Message For You: Three Generals

Lelouch gazed at the three people who now were fully strapped into their chairs, gags removed from their mouths. Their gazes struck Lelouch with utmost anger and fear. He knew that they would most likely be the ones to indefinitely do so. Lelouch folded his hands and began.

"Welcome gentleman. I'm glad to see you cooperating with me." Starting from the left, he spoke.

"My former second in command Kaname Ohgi, Kyoshiro Toudou, pilot of the Zangetsu, and Li Xingke, servant of the Empress Tianzi." His tone was sarcastically reminiscent, but it was only understood by Lelouch. He noticed that each was showing little signs of struggling, as if quietly and inconspicuously trying to release themselves from their chairs. He figured that they, and most of the prisoners, would have loved a chance to strike the emperor. And being in front of them now, it seemed advantageous for the three to take their chance.

Lelouch sighed and wagged his finger. "I do hope you aren't trying to free yourselves." Even though he heard the minute noise become even more silent, he spoke. "I doubt you can get out of those bounds, and if you do, then I will guarantee that you won't come out alive."

"Why don't you just have us killed now?" spoke Ohgi hastily in anger. "We are destined to be killed anyway."

Lelouch waved his hand. "Now, now, I'd rather much have you alive for now."

"So you can torture us with these useless restraints?" Toudou spoke in his calm manner.

"Consequently, those restraints are just minor things to keep all prisoners in check. I'd rather not have to deal with dissension…twice."

Xingke scoffed. "What a way to think Lelouch. You certainly don't trust anyone anymore, do you?"

Lelouch frowned. "Of course not, I have found it to be such a hindrance at times to try and do so with my own will power."

"So you use that geass to force those whom you do not trust to their knees and break them of their will?" Toudou added.

Lelouch laughed. "If you want to consider it that way, then yes." The room filled with awkward silence as the three were astonished by Lelouch's blunt response. "Now, if we could get started."

"Answer me this, Lelouch."

Lelouch's focus, as were Toudou's and Xingke's, was now on Ohgi.

"Of all the times we spent in the Black Knights, have you ever used your geass upon us?" Lelouch paused while Toudou and Xingke relaxed themselves into their chairs. "Did you?!"

"Does it matter if I did or did not?"

"Tell me!" Lelouch saw Ohgi fuming with frustration. He guessed that if not given a straight answer, Ohgi would be persistent in getting one from him throughout the conference.

"I didn't need to" Lelouch stated. He noticed the disbelief in their eyes. "I had no reason to do so. You three were by far more useful than if I had cast the curse on you. If I did, then you probably wouldn't have turned against me." Lelouch frowned again. "That or you would have been dead, just like General Kusakabe."

Lelouch noticed that Toudou had become slightly infuriated with the mentioning of the late general's name. "Now, now, don't get worked up by that. If you must know, he charged at me, planning to cut me down, but I reacted faster than him, and had him commit suicide, just like so many others."

After he stopped, Lelouch could feel the anger emanating from the three.

"You certainly don't have any pride left, do you?" Lelouch was not surprised to hear such a thing coming from Xingke.

"Pride, honor, dignity, all are useless when ruling the world. They can only get you so far in life." Lelouch cleared his throat soon after. "In any case, let's get this over with."

"What exactly are you going to do?" questioned Ohgi.

Lelouch smiled. "This is but just a session of talking. I'm not going to kill you here, so you can at least relax yourselves."

"Talk is meaningless now" stated Toudou.

"Think of it as though I'm giving you a chance to speak your last words. Now, first off, what is going on in your mind now?" All three were taken aback from the first question at first, but then Ohgi spoke.

"Right now, I think we all agree that what you've done is just atrocious. We had never expected this sort of outcome when we first decided to follow Zero."

"We have been through hell and back" Toudou began. "But now, you've dragged us back into that hell and aren't letting us go free."

"It was certainly a mistake to have joined you in the first place" said Xingke. "I should have killed you back at the Chinese Federation building."

Lelouch understood their words and sought to challenge their ideals. "But in truth, having followed me, we've succeeded in reminding the Japanese of their pride and showed the corruptness of the High Eunuchs, allowing the people to rise up once again." None could deny that what Lelouch had done as Zero was something that they couldn't have done when they were considered rebels, even if they were alone. "So it should have been a good decision to have followed me."

"I'll admit that it was beneficial to do so" started Ohgi. "But that was when you were still an anomaly to your followers, to us. We did not know that you'd betray us at the Black Rebellion."

"Speaking of the Black Rebellion, where did you go off to anyway?" asked Toudou.

Lelouch paused. He knew the reason for his absence during the Black Rebellion. "It was a personal matter; one that required my full attention."

"Exactly what do you mean by that?" question Xingke.

Lelouch paused again. He knew how to keep secrets from people, but at this point in his life, he thought that if he could be truthful, he would have to act as if it was a mundane matter to deal with.

"I was tending to my sister Nunnally." He noticed the disbelief on their faces. He too would have thought it unbelievable to put family matters above decisive battles.

"Is that the reason why you abandoned us?" Ohgi asked in a moderately frustrated tone. "Just to take care of your sister?"

"Indeed, I had put her above anything else in this world." Lelouch knew that he could only give them that just so he could avoid suspicion.

"Why, you…Do you know how many of us had families as well?! We willingly gambled our lives away, trying to fight Britannia, risking heavy losses including our families, and yet you disappear at the most decisive battle of our lives just to take care of your sister?!"

Lelouch frowned. He knew that at the time, he wanted to make sure everyone was safe, including his sister, even though the battle would have nearly guaranteed a place where she could have been safe. "It was an urgent matter."

"So was the Black Rebellion!"

"Enough Ohgi." Toudou had tried to calm Ohgi down. "It doesn't matter now. What is done is done." It had eventually worked and Ohgi did indeed calm himself down. "It still seems unprecedented that Zero would leave the battle for family matters."

Lelouch smirked. "Of course it does seem disconcerting that I as Zero would withdraw from battle for that same reason; just a shred of humanity left in one so selfish. In the end, you were all captured and that my existence was thought to be extinct." He adjusted himself in his chair once more and continued. "Do you find it frustrating that I would do such a thing?"

Toudou and Ohgi nodded.

"And tell me, what excuse did you give yourselves during the year I vanished? What self-satisfying excuse did you believe in?" Lelouch glanced at Ohgi.

"I-I…no, we believed that you were still alive. We believed that one day we would be freed from our shackles and once again fight."

"Indeed, that is what we did believe in at first." Toudou began to speak. "But our patience had worn thin up to the breaking point. There were few who still believed that Zero would come for them; that he would make another miracle happen."

"And I did come back for you guys" Lelouch added. "I freed you from your shackles and brought back the Black Knights in succession. You even showed your loyalty by siding with results rather than reason."

"That was the first mistake we made" spat Ohgi. "We trusted you even though you left us to die. But we had no other choice."

"We wanted to fight against Britannia so that we could once again have Japan in our grasps" added Toudou. "But in order to do so, we had to rely on someone of your intellect and tactile planning. You had more than what we needed at the time."

"But because it was me, you never got to know the man under the mask. All you cared about was getting the upper hand against Britannia. But I don't blame you, since I had my own vendetta against Britannia from the start." Lelouch laughed for a moment. "But why worry about a man who wears a mask in front of his followers?"

"It is because he wears a mask that no one asks what goes on under it…" Xingke added into the discussion, now having all eyes on him. "If he wanted to be known in total, wouldn't he just not wear a mask at all and show himself to his followers? But when faced with a tough situation, especially the one that Japan was under, and despite the fact that it was only a bunch of rebels back then who knew only guerilla tactics, a leader who displays both cunning and efficiency is the most likely to be accepted, regardless of what adorns that leader."

"As to be expected from a prodigy like yourself, Xingke. But I have one question for you. Underneath the mask, is that leader still not a human?" Lelouch noticed that Xingke could not answer the question. "Then tell me, what is it to be human? Must that person have feelings? Does he have to be morally just? What exactly makes us human?" None could answer the questions Lelouch had asked.

"Here's another point then, who's to say that the man under the mask is not human at all?"

"It's impossible to say the correct answer to that."

"And why exactly does no one bother to bring it up?"

"I-I don't know why."

Lelouch fixed his glare onto the three and frowned.

"It is because they are afraid." Lelouch savored the baffled looks upon their faces before he continued. "People are afraid of the truth; afraid that what they believed was true is actually a fabrication of the truth. People cannot help but to feel such overwhelming anxiety towards something plausible or unknown. But who's to say that what lies beneath that mask does not also fear the things beyond the mask?" Lelouch sat back into his chair and placed his arms on the rests of the chair.

"Which brings me to my next question: what exactly do you think of me?" Silence was ever present when the question came. "Do you think I am human?"

For the three, it was quite a surprise to have been asked that question by their former leader. Though they barely knew anything about him, they gave their answers after much deliberation.

"I cannot say without knowing a great deal about you" started Ohgi. "But from what I've assumed and seen from your actions, I can probably guess that you are the type of man who finds the idea of "humanity" as a nuisance. Being human requires that you have humanity still within you. And so far, I have not seen any shred of it left."

"I can understand that being a leader is a difficult task" continued Toudou after Ohgi stopped. "Staying composed in the face of adversity and distress is one component that you have shown. But you have to take others into account, whether it is sacrificial or beneficial for them as well as yourself. Being a sociopath does not give you the title of "leader" in my book. And it certainly does not make you much of a human anyway."

"To be human" began Xingke "one must be considerate to others as well as to his followers. Certainly you have shown that you can indeed take things like that into account, but with what you have done now, I'm pretty sure that you never really committed to that belief, nor have shown that you truly cared about your subordinates. Humanity is what makes a leader, and you have surely shown that you no longer hold humanity dear."

Lelouch grinned. "Well now, I'm pretty sure that you are correct in your own way. But let me ask just one simple thing again. Exactly when can a person lose their humanity?"

Lelouch saw their silenced faces and knew that they were pondering his question carefully. As they did, he reflected upon what they had said to him. He knew himself that humanity was a hindrance to his cause and so he needed to rid himself of it. He knew what it felt like to have emotions get the better of him. Of course, he also knew that those same emotions were what also made him into what he was now.

"Let me answer that question" spoke Lelouch when the silence had time to set in.

"There are many factors that cause humans to abandon rational thinking; stress, strong beliefs, opposition, the list goes on. In time, such constraints as humanity and rationality become even more brittle. And thus, in any slight moment of mental discourse, humanity becomes the first thing to be discarded. That is just due to age deterioration, but what if humanity is lost way before it should have been? What if there was a reason to declare someone dead even though they are still alive? Many things can happen if that does come to fruition, but only two options are generalized; you either live with yourself, and live with a self-satisfying reason to not take your own life, or you just plainly die."

Lelouch paused for a moment. As the words sank in, he contemplated about how he had to struggle through his early years after he and Nunnally were banished. He knew what it felt like to be declared dead and the burden of having to live with himself and his crippled sister. He remembered how much pain it brought just to continue to live with her. Though he would lie and say that he was alright, and though he would never say it out loud, Lelouch couldn't help but feel a sense of suffering every time he looked at Nunnally. He knew that labeling a person as a burden was not logical, but being a child, he mentally blamed her for reminding him of his short comings.

"I know what it is like to be called dead. My father said it to me, my best friend wished that I had never existed and now the world wants me dead. But I don't look for any sort of sympathy from anyone. I no longer need such a useless thing." He poked his eyes up and saw their faces, now lit with a noticeably odd expression, as if they were frustrated and emphatic from knowing his background. To Lelouch, it was a surprise to see that they would still treat him as if he were still sane, still human. "It is hard to understand something if you haven't been through it yourself. So I don't blame you if you can't comprehend what I was trying to get at."

"It is not that." Ohgi began to speak. "How can we rule that what you have said is the truth, when all this time you've kept such things hidden underneath your mask?"

Lelouch smirked at how rebellious Ohgi's manner was. "If you don't believe me, then that is just of your own judgment. I don't seek to be understood by anyone anymore."

"Being our leader, you should have trusted us more."

"Then tell me, why did you keep Villetta a secret from everyone?"

Ohgi fell silent. He knew that what he did was exactly what Lelouch had done. What was worse was that he had intended to use her to get information about Zero. "That was…"

"Frankly, I am not surprised that you would do something like that. Every man has "needs" that tend to overpower their own judgment."

Ohgi grew slightly frustrated that Lelouch would make an indecent insinuation about his motives with Villetta. But he knew that at one point, his "needs" got the better of him and bent his will once before.

"One cannot really deny the allure of a woman."

"Oh, you act as if you know what it feels like to be with a woman."

Lelouch grinned. "I did have C.C., Kaguya, and even Kallen on my side."

He saw that Ohgi began to get enraged.

"I'm sure that you would have noticed by now, how she gazed at me whilst I was Zero." Lelouch knew that he was leading Ohgi into more rage. "And why do you think she defended me when you had trapped me in that hangar? She would do anything I please, even without being controlled."

"You bastard…"

Lelouch laughed in a playful demeanor. He knew that it was a lie, but he found it more fun to play it off as something real.

"If you made her do what I think you did, I will kill you myself."

"Oh please, she was just another woman in a long line of others."

Lelouch laughed harder as he saw Ohgi struggling to get out of his constraints.

"You've crossed the line Lelouch!"

"Calm yourself, Ohgi" Toudou interrupted.

"Let me out of this chair, I'll kill him myself!"

"It won't do you any good" stated Xingke. "In any case, it doesn't matter if you struggle. We are going to be killed in the end." Ohgi was starting to calm down when Xingke mentioned the execution. "But before that happens, let me ask you one question Lelouch."

Lelouch's laughter died down as he smiled. "Go ahead if you want to."

"What do you intend to do after the month is over, when we are all dead?"

"I will recreate the world in my image. It is simple as that."

"And how, pray tell, would you do that?"

"I will show everyone the power I hold and how futile it is to go against it. And I will start by using your deaths as an example. So in a way, your deaths will still have meaning." The last part of that Lelouch said in a mocking tone. "My rule will go down in history as the most powerful of all, even more powerful than my father's rule."

"I see…" Xingke shook his head in defeat. "It would be better to die sooner than later. Your world is one that I do not wish to live in."

"I agree" added Toudou. "To die before your rule is solidified is the only blessing we will have in the end."

Ohgi stayed silent as Lelouch grinned. He felt angry still, but he knew when he was defeated. In his mind, he knew what he would miss out on, and that dying now would be causing a bit of grief. But to him, dying now would be better than living in a world dominated by Lelouch's corrupt power.

Lelouch rose from his chair and went over to the door, knocking on it like he did before. He then turned to the trio.

"Thank you for your time gentlemen. The guards will be here to take you back to your cells. I trust that you would take care not to start anything once outside this room." The guards soon came and once again bound the men and took them away. Lelouch gazed at them as they disappeared from his sight. _'I do hope that you not try anything stupid' _he thought to himself. _'Because if you do, I can only regret that you would not be able to experience the better world I will give to you.'_

He sighed and turned to the lineup once more. He knew that the lineup was dwindling since he began the first interview. Although in retrospect, he did not choose a lot of people to begin with. When he came to a halt, he stood in front of two girls, both trembling as he continued to gaze at them. He saw tears in one girl and saw the other girl holding her close.

"You two are next."

Lelouch snapped his fingers and soon two guards came beside him.

"Be gentle with these two."

"Yes, your majesty!"

Soon, the two guards restrained the girls and took them into the room. It was difficult to do so since both had shown a bit of resistance, but their movements soon died down as they were strapped into the chairs. To Lelouch, even he felt a bit uncomfortable to have them strapped into the chairs. But he had to bite the bullet and take it in stride as he returned to the room.

'_Just a few more' _he mentally stated, feeling somewhat uneasy about how he would have to approach the two girls. He shook the uneasiness away and once again placed a nonchalant look upon his face as he took a seat, ready to begin another long session.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, I finally finished this chapter. It took a while, a little bit longer than what I had said, but that's what happens when the creative juices are blocked off. In any case, I figure that this is just one of the chapters that will be bothersome to extend. I tried to give each one of them adequate speaking portions, and by far, I think I did give them enough. See, the premise of this chapter was to delve into the perception of being human overall. I had planned to use them because to me they looked like the kind of guys who would contemplate why Lelouch was going all psychotic with his power when he became king. Also, they themselves were leaders at one point in the story, so it would be fitting to have them speak with the ultimate leader. In conclusion, I'm just glad that this chapter is done. Thank you all for sticking to this story and please R&R. Commentary is most appreciated. Thank you.


	13. Final Message For You: Young Empresses

Lelouch took his seat in front of his current captives. He saw a noticeable hint of fear flashing across both of their faces. Before long, he clasped his hands and placed them in his lap, then addressed the two in his seemingly elated manner.

"I'm glad to have this time to speak to you two, Kaguya Sumeragi" he glanced to his right, then turned to his left, "and you too, Empress Tianzi."

He noticed that the young empress had tried to divert her gaze somewhere else. He could understand how nervous she must have been right then. And it didn't come as a surprise that Kaguya had been keeping her eyes on him.

Lelouch waved his hand in a passing motion, as if bating away the tension between him and his captives.

"My dear empress, do not be alarmed. I'm only here to have a conversation with the two of you." Lelouch smiled as Tianzi picked her head up despite the anxiety that he knew had grasped her entire being. "See? There is nothing to worry about." He understood that being the young girl that she was, he guessed that she was about Nunnally's age, staring into the face of the most hated, most evil person in the world may have caused her some fright.

As for Kaguya, Lelouch figured, she would better sense the hint of insecurity that came with Lelouch's words. But this was only what he assumed that she would think, even though he was being as truthful as he could be. He glanced at Kaguya and saw that her eyes were stern, much more than when she had confronted him at the U.F.N. meeting in Ashford High.

"Now, if you both could just relax a bit, then we can get on with our conversation" Lelouch said in a more serious tone.

"Before that" spoke Kaguya, "can you answer me one thing Lelouch?"

Lelouch nodded.

"What was your real objective in all this?"

"My real objective?" Lelouch replied to confirm her question. His hands separated as he soon stretched his right hand outward, lifting it into the air. Soon, he clenched it hard. "I wanted to take my revenge against my father, against Britannia, against those who had done nothing to help me or my sister." He then turned his gaze towards Kaguya. "Of course, that was the original objective."

"The original objective? You mean that…"

"Yes, I had worked; to strive and grasp the chance to exact my revenge against my homeland. But then, I noticed that there were so many things getting in my way. Some many things had gone wrong. Then I realized that the whole world is wrong."

"What do you mean by that?"

Lelouch sighed. "The governing body, society, everything about our lives is wrong. There are those who place things higher than others. Natural as though it may be, it is a flaw when there are times that their values are worthless. They don't cast them aside and don't care about the consequences. Promises are constantly broken, trust is then betrayed, and loyalty becomes dissention in an instant despite the results."

Kaguya instinctively knew that Lelouch was hinting on the time that the Black Knights betrayed Zero. She remembered at how bitter she felt when the news had come to her. But by then, she had heard the story only through the Black Knights and Prince Schneizel. The effect that it had on them proved that it was impossible to overlook the atrocities. Despite her royal standing, Kaguya had no choice but to go with the flow, just like Kallen.

"But in that case, the ends would justify the means."

"Indeed," Lelouch continued "but it would seem that humanity ruled out loyalty." Lelouch chuckled. "Indeed, it is amazing at how humans can act in the most stressful moments."

Lelouch knew first hand that people choose to stay as human as possible, and that it was inappropriate to do so during a crucial moment in time. For him, it seemed that it was the only excuse left for someone who wanted justice over justification.

"But I think we've gotten far off topic than what I wanted, so let's just get down to business." Lelouch pulled his chair forward, closer to the table in front of him and laid his hands, clenched together once more, before them.

"First off, tell me what you think of the world that I rule."

Lelouch glanced towards Tianzi first. When he noticed that she had once again diverted her gaze, he smiled and waited patiently. A few seconds passed and her gaze still did not turn to Lelouch. When she turned to Kaguya, her eyes were met with a small smile and a quick nod of the head. Taking this as a "go ahead" gesture, Tianzi spoke timidly.

"W-well, I think that the world is in a bad shape."

Lelouch had somewhat expected Tianzi to speak in such a basic form of conversation. So, he tolerantly answered her back in words she could easily grasp, yet refraining from utilizing "child-like" manners.

"Why do you think it is in a bad shape?"

"I-Its just that, what you are doing is bad."

"And how might that be?"

"W-well, you are killing people, oppressing them, and not giving them freedom."

"Oh really?" Lelouch realized that she had gotten the grasp of what acts that he had committed as emperor. He then turned to Kaguya and continued. "And what do you think of the world that I created Kaguya?"

"Well, as Tianzi said, you have done horrible things to the people of the world. You have constricted the people of the world with your iron, tyrannical fist. You rule them with dictatorship and threaten their very lives."

"Indeed I have" Lelouch replied nonchalantly. "I have brought nations to their knees and have made the people obey my rule, whether with or without my geass." Lelouch scoffed. "Surprisingly though, it is easier to force them down rather than to wait for them to accept my hegemony."

"As you did to us no doubt?" retorted Kaguya in a mocking tone.

"No." Kaguya became surprised when she heard Lelouch.

"You mean to tell me that…"

"That I never used my geass on you? Correct, and neither have I used it on the Black Knights, nor on Xingke or Tianzi nor any of my supporters that followed them."

Kaguya fell in shock to have heard that she had not been exposed to Lelouch's geass.

"But why not us?"

"All of you were so willing to follow me that I had no reason to do so." Lelouch smirked. "I was surprised to have seen people, like you two, come and seek my help when Britannia was still around. Is that what royalty has come to then, begging for aid from a simple terrorist?"

"Desperate times called for desperate measures. And so we did just that. But who would've thought that the one we trusted the most would become the one thing we hate the most?"

"Trusted you say?" Lelouch could feel the irony in her comment. "It's ironic that you'd trust a masked man rather than your own people." Lelouch frowned. "Where was your trust when I was betrayed by my own organization?"

Kaguya fell silent when Lelouch mentioned the incident.

"It was out the door when their guns were pointed at me, the person who gave you everything in exchange for loyalty, no, not even for that much; I practically gave the Japanese everything for nothing in return. And yet, I was still backstabbed."

"It would seem so. But it was because you weren't a righteous leader."

Lelouch grinned sadly at the comment.

"Then tell me Kaguya." Lelouch raised his eyes towards Kaguya, looking more firmly than before. "What does it mean to be a leader?"

'_Ironic…' _thought Lelouch, as he remembered asking her that same question during the meeting at Ashford High.

Kaguya became slightly distraught with Lelouch's sudden question. After moments of silence passed, she began.

"A leader is noble and caring, strong-willed and courageous." Lelouch knew these to be textbook examples of a leader's qualities. "A leader must know the right way to accomplish objectives and to care about those he/she might love."

Lelouch smirked when she was finished, awed yet somewhat expecting that Kaguya would answer back in terms of honor. "Tell me then, do you know of any person, given the terms you have stated, that has succeeded in being a leader?" That question brought Kaguya to silence. "I didn't think so" he added to create a bigger impact.

At that moment, Lelouch saw the confused and helpless eyes of his former, self-proclaimed fiancée. He knew that being a leader was a big responsibility, and knew that personal feelings tend to get in the way of objectives. His own sibling love for Nunnally had led him into failure twice. Indeed, Lelouch was just as how Kaguya described. He was indeed caring and noble, just only for a different cause. To him, the concept of love had all but seemed logically explainable. Proven more so by the memory of how he first saw Kaguya as Zero. He vividly recalled at how enthusiastic she was the first time they met, and how she proclaimed herself as his Goddess of Victory. Preposterous as it was, Lelouch waved it off as no more than an infatuation. To him, no love was ever present between them, at least coming from him anyhow.

Lelouch then glanced at Tianzi, the young empress who was no more than Nunnally's age, maybe even younger. Despite only knowing little about her, he could see the evidence of love between her and Xingke. For Lelouch, it wasn't that hard to figure out. It was genuine love between the two, despite social standing and age differentiation. He mentally commented that though young, the concept of love to the young empress still seemed to be fully understood.

Lelouch sank back into his chair and sighed. "Leadership through such facile ideals is doomed to fail." _'If given to the wrong type of people'_ he mentally added.

"It is not doomed to fail if you know how to utilize it well."

Lelouch had figured that Kaguya would not let her hopes die out that easily. "Then tell me Kaguya, did you really love Zero as you implied?"

Kaguya was caught off guard by Lelouch's comment. Knowing that the spotlight was again on her, she replied with a headstrong voice. "I admired Zero for his audacity to defy Britannia, and soon found myself impressed by the results that I couldn't help but to love Zero." Kaguya's face turned slightly playful. "But who would've thought that Zero's identity was that of the exiled prince who came to live with Suzaku?"

Lelouch smirked. "You find it amusing that it was me?"

"Indeed, at first." Her eyes were now pointing forward, holding its gaze at Lelouch. "I remember how it happened. At the time, I had stayed at the Kururugi house as a guest. I would usually stay there when it was that time of the year when seasons change. You might not have known this, but it was a coincidental thing that I would come on the day that you would be sent to us. When I had met with Suzaku that day, he had a strange look on his face, as if seeing something perplexing. So I asked him what the problem was, but he just shook his head and passed it off as nothing. It wouldn't be until dinner time that I had caught wind of you staying at the storeroom. Young as I was, even I knew the moment I had caught sight of it, you were the former 11th prince of Britannia, Lelouch vi Britannia. I never met with you directly, but I had chances to get a glance in once in a while. I never expected it though."

"What did you not expect?" Lelouch questioned.

"I never thought that Suzaku would have eventually become your friend. I had only seen you either with your sister or alone with a bag of groceries, never smiling once at all unless you were with your sister. But when Suzaku joined in, you had become more open to him, close to even smiling with him. I was indeed baffled by it. I would inquire about what you were doing all that time through Suzaku, and though I knew he hated Britannians, he would always speak of the good times he had with you and Nunnally. He would talk about the times he sang with you, how he took you to various spots around the compound, and how he had begun to befriend the prince he hated at first." Kaguya paused as she momentarily reminisced about her memories.

"I never saw Suzaku so happy before. Due to his training with Toudou, and the way his father had an iron grip on him, I would only see Suzaku with a serious scowl most of the time. But when I saw him smiling after coming back from his time with you and your sister, it seemed all the more preposterous. I thought to myself, 'how was it possible that an exiled prince from the country Suzaku hated should be the one to give him the smile he had upon his face'? But I did not have enough time to get a definite answer to that question thanks to Britannia's war. It would be the last time I saw Suzaku and both you and your sister."

Lelouch knew all too well what Kaguya must have gone through that time. The separation from Suzaku must've left a scar on both of their hearts. In due time, he figured that hers had healed, but his served as a reminder of what he had promised that day before leaving. Anger welled up within Lelouch, he remembered; anger at his country for separating them, and sadness for the anxiety his sister had when they parted.

"Seven years would pass until I got wind of Suzaku's existence, and by that time Zero had already made a name for himself. Suzaku had become Zero's enemy, and thus he became my enemy. And the rest is history."

Lelouch smiled. "Must've been hard to think of him as an enemy, right?" Kaguya nodded softly. "It also must've been hard to see him at my side once again."

"I was surprised to see him with you when you showed up after a month had gone by. In truth, I never thought it would have been possible given the circumstances." She glared at Lelouch. "But I guess fate has a cruel way of skewing one's fate."

"Indeed, and it does seem to like screwing around with people too." Lelouch chuckled for a moment. "Fate is cruel to everyone, even the innocent." He suddenly glanced at the young empress.

"It also must've been cruel to you too."

Tianzi quickly raised her head when she heard Lelouch speak, not expecting to have his gaze on her.

"You know it to be true, don't you?"

"W-well…" Tianzi started. "I cannot say that I haven't, but…"

"You are still young to recognize it." Lelouch interrupted. "The High Eunuchs, they have used you like a puppet."

Tianzi nodded hastily.

"And when you were betrothed to my eldest brother, did it not sadden you?"

"It did for it seemed unfair to me."

"Because he was not the one you wanted to marry?"

"Yes" she replied.

"When I held you hostage, were you scared?"

Tianzi nodded. "I was terrified."

"And when the war continued, did you not feel frustrated at why the people you cared about, Xingke included, risked their lives to stop it?"

Tianzi shook her head. "I could not understand why the war continued. I cannot understand why people would give their lives up willingly. The war was wrong, but it didn't cease." Tears began to form in her eyes. "I could not understand why everyone fought. I could not understand why Xingke fought. I felt scared that he would leave me again, and not return. I could not understand why the world was in a constant state of war."

It wasn't Lelouch's intent to make Tianzi cry. He understood the being a young person, and a girl at that, trying to understand the way the world works may be overwhelming. He figured that she hadn't grasped the fact that the world doesn't care for one's own beliefs, and that it does not move to the beat of a single person. Incidentally, he had wanted to do the same, but instead of making the existing world move, he would destroy it for the sake of a new world. Yet, even explaining that thought seemed rather troublesome, especially to those he knew that did not have the same mindset as he did; very few could grasp that fact indeed.

"Please don't cry Tianzi" said Kaguya as she tried to comfort her friend, despite being restrained.

"Dry your tears young empress." Sentimentality had struck Lelouch once more and soon the two girls gazed at him. "An empress holds herself in a refined state at all times. I'm pretty sure that you were taught that right?"

Tianzi sniffled for a bit before calming herself down. Kaguya found it quite odd that Lelouch had shown a little bit of sympathy to the young empress. Though a bit ironic, she understood the depth of Lelouch's words. She knew as well the rule that leaders, be it country or militaristic, male or female, should not be wavering even at times of desperation.

"True leaders must demonstrate a headstrong confidence in themselves in the presence of others." Lelouch flashed a smile before standing up. "I suggest you keep that in mind when you leave." Lelouch approached the door and knocked on it a couple of times. He then turned toward the girls and smiled. "Thank you for the talk, it was enjoyable."

Though in a somewhat sarcastic tone, he meant it in good will. Soon, the guards entered the room and released them from their bonds, only to be bound again and taken away to their cell. Lelouch watched as the girls disappeared from his sight. He sighed once more and thought to himself.

'_I know that those two will become good leaders later in their lives. Purity like that is hard to come by nowadays.' _Lelouch grinned at his own wishful thinking. _'I can only hope that they don't lose that sense of moral justice after I die.'_ To Lelouch, he felt glad to have seen girls that were in a sense similar to his own sister. He knew as well that being a leader took a sense of justice and pride, and though he was effective in utilizing his position, he knew that he had gone against for a stronger purpose, albeit in a wrongful way of doing so. But to him, it was a sacrifice that he had already prepared for as a secondary plan. He figured himself out as a bad leader, despite receiving desired results most of the time. He then thought back momentarily to Nunnally and smiled.

'_I know that she would make an even better leader once I'm gone' _he thought begrudgingly not because she was innocent, but because he had already screwed his life up, and if she were to do so, she would be much better received by the people.

When he broke himself from his thoughts, he turned toward the last person in the lineup. He smiled reluctantly as he motioned for the guards to take the prisoner into the room. Lelouch scratched his head and sighed.

'_This one by far' _he thought to himself, _'will not be the easiest to talk to.'_ Shaking his head, he went into the room. The guards were done strapping the prisoner into the chair. Despite seeing a few signs of struggling, more than any of the previous, Lelouch knew that the efforts were futile. The guards soon left the room, closing the door behind them. Both Lelouch's eyes and the prisoner's eyes soon locked in place. Lelouch could only smile deviously at the time, knowing that he had to really play his part as the Demon King in front of his captive.

"Hello again, my Q-1" he spoke, feeling slightly unsettled by the scowl he had been greeted with.

'_I just hope I can get through this session'_ he mentally sighed.

To be continued…if desired.

A/N: Well, another chapter done, and it only took about too much time to do so. So here are the points to this chapter: When I examined the relationships of Lelouch and those around him, I noticed that two factors needed to be discussed; being a leader and how uncertain the world was to him and to others as well. I tried to make this one less about Lelouch and more about the belief of what a leader should be, and I think I did pretty well so far. I also wanted to give Tianzi more speaking parts as well, even though fans know her as timid and mostly helpless. Kaguya needed to be a little bit more resolute when speaking to her former fiancée. And yes, I did include some implied pairing evidence with Tianzi and Xingke (despite her being under aged). But I want to here your thoughts as well. Comments are appreciated and whatnot. Thanks again for reading. Hopefully the next chapter will be a bit longer and personal...and will arrive in a shorter amount of time.


	14. Final Message For You: Kallen Kouzuki

Of all the people Lelouch knew, and the people he worked with by far, there would be only a few who remained by his side. His most trusted comrade and captain of the Honor Guard of Zero, Kallen Stadtfeld, or more formally Kallen Kouzuki had never seemed to disappoint him when it came to fighting against Britannia. But as he gazed at her now, he could not help but to remember how he had seen her in an opposing fashion. He recalled countless times when she confronted him, mostly to figure out what Zero's motives were, what _his_ motives were. Now seemed like a reversal, with Kallen now being the one questioned instead of Lelouch.

"Hello, my Q-1" he openly stated in a somewhat sarcastic manner.

Kallen glared directly at him now, displaying a sense of dissatisfaction at what Lelouch had accomplished. _'This…' _she started mentally. _'This is not Zero's work at all. It is all Lelouch's doing! He betrayed all of us. He betrayed the world!'_

Lelouch scanned Kallen's facial features. He knew that she was angry, probably one of the most obvious signs at the moment. Her teeth were gritted, slight subtle movements of her shoulders suggested to him that she was struggling to get free from her bonds, eyes like daggers waiting to pierce into him. Indeed, she was angry at him, and he could not blame her for being so.

"Why don't you respond, Q-1?" Again he said it with a little more sarcasm this time. Strange as though it was, Lelouch found that calling her by that codename would be similar to calling her an Eleven. Being called by only a number or code would have irked anyone given time to set in.

Kallen did find it bothersome that Lelouch was calling her by her nickname.

Lelouch grunted. "Would it be better if I called you that if I was Zero?" He cackled at the irony that he would purposely taunt her with his own personae, her idol.

Like throwing rocks at a hornet's nest, Lelouch had stirred a powerful rage within Kallen, causing her to outburst. "You… You aren't Zero! Zero would have never done what you have already committed!"

"Oh really?" he retorted. "Then exactly what would Zero have done?"

"Zero would find a more strategic way to have the people on his side rather than forcibly obeying his command! Zero would give hope for a better world instead of crushing the dreams of the people! He would be the true symbol of justice that he once was!"

Lelouch knew that idealism was just one of the ways humans cope with everyday hindrances. For Kallen, Lelouch thought, it was the loyalty to the cause of a better world that she'd follow Zero. But even that belief can be betrayed, just like the one who is betrayed.

"Even so, humans will always find things that they don't like. And when they find that certain disliked trait, they do what they can to block it out, or eliminate it." Lelouch had felt a bit nostalgic when he felt the same sensation coming from his words back when he confronted Nunnally.

"Humans are capable of getting stronger and more resilient over time."

"But they can change over time as well. Who's to say that the change will not be for the better? It is only the will of the person to better their outlook."

"They must also look towards bettering the outlook of those that are dear to them. They have no heart if they overlook that factor!"

Both of their voices began to rise; one in anger, the other in reason.

"But what if those people who are dear to them suddenly turn against that person? Despite doing things with the intention of others, they still seem to find that person detestable!"

"However, there could be a few who are still loyal to that person! Isn't that what really matters?"

"It can only go so far! And when it is once displayed, there will always be a hint of doubt left within, and even the littlest amount can make a difference!"

"But they still remain loyal even though the one who is betrayed can't see it!"

"It doesn't matter, because they _had_ betrayed that person! No amount of persuasion can help the situation! Those who are betrayed can only live with themselves for the rest of their lives!"

"That is if they are weak-willed! But there are the strong-willed who can overlook that fact and change the outcome to their liking!"

"Even so, the facts are out, and neither party can do anything to dissipate the tension or to relieve the scars on those affected!"

"And that's why there are those who follow and those who lead!"

This caught Lelouch's attention. Heated as the discussion was, Lelouch had kept everything to a logical, and in some ways emphatic base. He knew that what Kallen had said was due to both her own sense of idealism and frustration. In a way, their discussion had summarized what had happened to Lelouch before, and to what had been going on since then, especially with Kallen.

Lelouch exhaled and calmed his mind, feeling somewhat clear-minded afterwards.

"Then tell me Kallen, what it means to follow and what it means to lead."

Lelouch knew that his questions had been met with a trend. He realized that every time he said an important question to his prisoners, each had initially been silenced for a moment. It worked on everyone, and now it worked on Kallen as well. But unlike everyone else, Lelouch found himself answering his own question.

"To lead is to show a headstrong will with moving forward with plans and accepting results as they are. A person must not look back when making a decision. Second guessing one's own method leads to failure; that goes for giving second chances as well. As for following, it is to follow orders, complete tasks and not oppose the leader. It is in this way that goals can be achieved. Functioning as one unit with no remorse, no regret, is the only way to get things done, and at whatever the cost."

Kallen had a slightly horrified look on her face.

"You really believe that is what the Black Knights have been all this time?"

"Over time, this is what I have learned. Back when I led the Black Knights as Zero, I had believed that you and everyone else were sufficient enough and utilized your skills to take my revenge on my father and his stupid war. I had also not received any queries about who I was or whatnot. So in a way, yes I had believed that the Black Knights were just that; one big unit of followers."

Lelouch clutched his hands hard. "That was until all of you betrayed me."

"It was you who betrayed us first!" Kallen screamed. "You had abandoned us during the Black Rebellion!"

"To save my sister…"

"It doesn't matter! You still abandoned us!"

Lelouch stood up and slammed his hands on the table. "Then tell me, why the hell did you guys lose?!" His gesture silenced Kallen, but her face still showed signs of anger. "Tell me why you guys lost!"

"It was…"

"Was it because I wasn't there to hold your hands throughout the battle?! Were you guys that adept? I mean you even had Toudou on your side and you still lost!" Lelouch placed his left hand over his face in frustration. "Maybe I had put too much faith in you guys after all." Lelouch ran his finger through his hair. "Is it too much to ask for people to do something on their own these days?" For a moment, Lelouch lowered his head and sighed.

"What hurts worse was that you had also abandoned me."

Kallen knew what Lelouch had implied. She knew it all too well.

"Was it karma that led you to betray me as well? Or was it because of something else at that time?" In an instant, Lelouch whipped his head up and stared directly into Kallen's eyes. "Tell me Kallen. Why did you leave me to Suzaku?"

She saw, in Lelouch's eyes, the feeling of betrayal. She knew what she had done that day, and up to when the Black Knights recovered Lelouch, would haunt her memory for that year. Not wavering, Kallen answered.

"I left because at that moment, I did not know what to believe."

Lelouch scoffed at her answer. "As I thought…"

"It was stupid…" Lelouch glanced back at Kallen when she continued. "I was so devastated by the fact that you used us so bluntly. I had believed that what we had done up until then was for everyone, that you actually cared about everyone's suffering." She tilted her head up. "I remember Ohgi telling me to protect you, to protect the dreams of the Japanese people, the dreams of my brother Naoto; I've told you about it once before right?" Lelouch nodded flatly. "I had wanted to protect you from Suzaku to preserve the dreams of our comrades. But when your identity was revealed, it came as a shock that Zero, the one whom led the Black Knights, the one that we knew wasn't Japanese, was in fact the vice-president of the Student Council at Ashford."

"I had listened in on your conversation with Suzaku and didn't quite understand at first. I wondered whether or not you had used your power on me. That power which allowed you to control others. And then I heard that Nunnally was kidnapped. It both did and didn't make sense that you would leave us in order to find your sister. By then both of you had drawn your guns at each other."

"Then you ran away" Lelouch intervened. "You ran away like a coward instead of stopping Suzaku."

"I was hurt and confused at that moment!"

"And so was I!" Lelouch raised his voice instantly. "Did you what happened afterwards? My best friend betrayed me, and instead of killing me, Suzaku brought me before my father in exchange for a stupid rank! My father had then changed my memories, just as he did the people at Ashford. I had lost my memories of my mother, my existence as Zero, and worse of all, my memories of Nunnally! He erased any trace of her existence at Ashford Academy! And then they sent Rolo to spy on me! For that year, I was Lelouch Lamperouge once again. A year that I was just another person in society! I lived in a personal hell and did not know it!"

Lelouch paused and calmed himself down. "I was betrayed by everyone for that year. I was alone, with no one beside me who knew the real truth. Where were you during that time?"

Kallen had waited a moment to collect her memories of that year and spoke. "I was in hiding. The Black Knights were disbanded due to Ohgi and Toudou being captured after the Black Rebellion. I witnessed the execution of Japanese leaders, especially the heads of the royal Japanese houses, except for Kaguya. At the time, I was still a bit shocked at what transpired on Kaminejima. Even more shocked to hear that Zero was supposedly assassinated. Eventually C.C. came to me and returned to the Black Knights. For nights on end, the resistance planned to regain everything we lost, including Zero. But only I and C.C. knew of the true identity of Zero and had spied on you to track your movements. I had taken up a job at Babel Tower in order to keep a close eye on where you went from time to time. I had not expected that I would be treated so badly since I was an Eleven. It was embarrassing enough to be wearing a bunny-girl outfit, but that was nothing compared to how the Britannian men at the casino were treating me."

Kallen shuttered. Lelouch smirked as he ran his eyes once over her. "I can only imagine what they would have done to you."

"I'm glad that they did not, though there were a few close calls." Kallen shook her head as she blushed. "You pervert!"

Lelouch laughed for a moment at her reaction. He knew what he meant, but was surprised to see her going along with it.

"Anyway, the time came and we acted. I was to place a tracking device on you so that we can strike at an opportune moment, but then C.C. had to initiate the plan a bit too early and soon I loss sight of you. When we found you a few floors down, I knew right away that you had become Zero once again. The rest is history, so does that answer your question?"

For a minute, the room went silent. Lelouch had understood most of what Kallen had to go through. In a way, his own struggles seemed to be similar to that of everyone else.

"I can only guess that you were just acting the way a true comrade would then."

Kallen nodded. "I guess you could say that."

"Then I guess that was what the problem was in the end." Lelouch noticed her glancing toward him in a confused manner.

"What does it take to be a comrade? Is it simply to follow a person even after they are betrayed? Is that what it means to be a comrade?" He gazed back at her. "Then I'm sure that all of the Black Knights were great comrades when they pointed their guns at me." Sarcasm was evident in Lelouch's voice; harsh enough to cut steel. "You couldn't stand up for me at that moment. No one could defend me against them. It didn't come as a surprise when I saw Schneizel above me that it all made sense. The Black Knights were taken into Schneizel's plan and sought to end my life."

Lelouch scoffed once more before staring into her eyes even deeper. Past the betrayal, Lelouch saw a hint of regret within her eyes. "Does that action really show loyalty? I think not." Lelouch turned away abruptly. "I was thus put into a near absolute "checkmate" by my elder brother, until Rolo intervened."

"Is that…" Kallen gazed at his back in slight anger. "Is this still just a game to you?!"

Lelouch turned back toward her.

"It's always a game to you isn't it Lelouch? Everything has always been a game. Treating others like pawns, sacrificing lives that didn't need to be, why do you treat other lives like a game of chess?!"

"Because life is a game!" Lelouch knew stubbornness was a fickle shield at times, but for him at this point seemed to provide him a good excuse to express his belief.

"Life is always a game of chance. There are those who become winners, and as such there are those who have to become losers. There are only a few chances to become a winner, and more chances of becoming a loser. It has always been like that for me; a struggle to live and continue living just to see myself become a loser. I have always felt like a pawn in my life, as if I had no real control over my own will, and now I do. I have all the power I need to become a winner."

Lelouch knew what it felt like to be a loser, to be toyed with, whether physically or strategically, and it did not have a good aftertaste; only made worse by the fact that his sister had also ended up in the same boat.

"Jeez, who would have thought that you would be so arrogant and self-centered after all?" Lelouch grimaced when Kallen had spoken. "I thought that you were different than that, but I guess I was wrong."

"As I said, people change when faced with something they don't like."

Kallen scoffed. "And here I thought that I meant something to you."

Her remark caught Lelouch's attention. "As vice versa, my dear Q-1."

The sarcasm in Lelouch's voice irked Kallen again. "I told you not to call me that anymore." Her teeth gritted again.

"Is it because it reminds you of Zero?"

"Only Zero can call me that!"

"But I am Zero." Lelouch laughed at the sight of him taunting her with his logic, despite it being true. For Kallen, it was a confusing situation to have. "Is it because of your personal feelings that you would only Zero to call you Q-1?"

Kallen blushed for a moment while trying to find the words to use.

"Zero and I are one in the same" started Lelouch. "Our will, our voice, and our pride; all are the same."

"You are not the same" replied Kallen.

"Then how are we different?"

"You just are. Zero was justice itself, and you are evil incarnate."

"That's what you believe. But how can you know about two different people if they are the same being? Have you ever once wanted to get to know either of us?" When he had received no answer, he sighed. "Of course you haven't, none of you ever wanted to in the first place."

"You're wrong Lelouch." She saw him turn once more toward her. "In truth, I've wanted to try and figure you out. But you were always out of reach even when you were with the Black Knights." Kallen had known that there was one point that had also overpowered her own desire to be closer to Zero, and that was the anxiety of figuring out the identity of Zero, the one under the mask. She knew well that she had conflicting ideas of who it could have been including Lelouch. "But it was too late."

Lelouch sighed. "It was never too late Kallen." Lelouch soon sat in front of her and looked dead on into her eyes once more. When their eyes met, he saw the chance to have some closure with Kallen. "Tell me Kallen, after all the experiences that you have gone through, and with all the time that you have spent with the Black Knights and at Ashford, what kind of view do you have of me, the "Lelouch" who is not Zero?"

Kallen felt surprised to hear the question. Here she was, a captive of the most ruthless man in the world to date, and yet he wants to know what she thought of him? She had noticed that his smirk had softened, as if he was displaying a sense of compassion. His eyes less stern than before.

"If you must know, I had always thought you were a peculiar person."

"Oh really?"

Kallen nodded. "Back when I had heard you making up an excuse for me and mentioning Shinjuku, I had thought that there was something going on." Kallen began to grow red. "When you came to the bathroom with some spare clothes, I had somewhat guiltily expected you to have a lecherous grin upon your face when you nearly saw me naked. But you had only been surprised about how I caught and questioned you. I had thought then that your weren't like other guys who would not hold themselves back when seeing a naked girl. But when you took away my first kiss just to distract Shirley, I had kind of thought you were just using me to your liking."

Lelouch was surprised to see her pause after that last sentence.

"Before I go on, tell me, did you kill Shirley?"

For Lelouch, it was still a sensitive matter to speak about, though at this point, whether he told the truth or not, it really didn't matter.

"No, I did not kill her."

"But then…"

"My fake brother Rolo did." This caught Kallen by surprise, even more so when she saw a saddened expression upon Lelouch's face. "He killed her to protect my identity. So in a way, I might as well have been her murderer."

"Oh…" Kallen gave a moment of silence for Shirley, and then continued.

"I felt sorry to have kissed her biggest crush I guess. I had always thought that you were a loner when you were at school, but whenever you were with Nunnally, you were totally different. It reminded me of how my older brother was to me. At the time though I was with the Black Knights. The more time I spent with them, with Zero, I had felt like I got to know Zero better. Idealistic yet thoughtful of how others felt. Then I found out that you were Zero and found myself at a loss. The boy who loved his sister more than anything, the loner vice-president of the Student Council, was the revolutionary Zero."

"Then a year passed and I felt that after everything, only one thing remained. The Black Knights, no, the whole of Japan really needed Zero to gain back independence. But when Nunnally became viceroy, I somewhat expected you to spiral out of control; which was confirmed when I tried to get a hold of you after the inauguration. When I saw you with some Refrain, I knew that you were sinking fast. When you told me to comfort you, I knew something was really wrong. I thought to myself, _'this is not the Lelouch who is supposed to be Zero'_. I felt glad that I was able to stop you before both of us made a mistake. C.C. had once told me how much of a burden you were bearing when she found me with your mask. She commented on how heavy the mask was metaphorically, even though it was slightly heavier than what I had expected physically."

"I had resolved myself to become your right hand; to become useful to both sides of you. When I was captured and taken to Britannia, I thought my life was over. But your promise to come get me was one of the things that kept me going. That's when I had met your sister once more. When she told me of all the things you have done for her over the years, I started to understand how everything had started. You wanted a world where Nunnally could be happy right?"

"At first, I wanted to. But overtime, I had encompassed the wishes of the Japanese people and those who couldn't tolerate Britannia's rule." Lelouch sighed. "But that was before the Black Knights betrayed me."

"Before they did, I was glad to have returned to the Black Knights, and with what I had gotten from Nunnally, felt a bit better with understanding Zero. I had realized that with Nunnally gone and C.C.'s memories gone as well, you had lost the only things that meant something to you. But when you told me that you were glad to see me safe, I was flattered to say the least. I had wanted to be there for you since Nunnally was "killed", but then…"

"That was when I was ousted from the Black Knights" Lelouch concluded.

Kallen nodded. "When you came back as the 99th emperor of Britannia, I had thought that it was impossible to stop you. I also felt a bit distraught with what I was feeling for you. I needed closure and so I asked you about what I was to you. But you did not reply. Whether I loved you or Zero didn't matter. I just wanted to know whether what I was doing for you was helpful or not. To this day, I haven't received a clear answer from you."

"Would you like to know?" Lelouch knew that she would want to know as well.

"I had considered you a great asset for my revenge against the Britannian Empire. Though young, you were among the top fighters in the Black Knights, and the most loyal to my cause. At school, I had never thought much about you since I knew you would follow my orders as Zero. But as time went by, you became friends with the Student Council and Nunnally, and eventually to me as well. I had originally fought to destroy Britannia and to grant my sister's wish for a gentler world, but then I had figured that my own struggle was selfish, until fighting to take down Britannia for the people soon engulfed my own struggle and soon I fought for the world, to protect that which I hold dear. You had become one of those things I wanted to protect. I find it peculiar that despite the girls I've known, I never once pursued a relationship with either of them, even Shirley. I have never kissed a girl myself, that being I didn't initiate the kiss. You, Shirley, even C.C. had always been the ones to kiss me first."

Kallen was surprised to hear that C.C. had also kissed Lelouch.

"I will tell you this Kallen; you did mean something to me. Whether that is something of more than a friend I cannot tell anymore." Lelouch stood up and walked over to Kallen. Going around the table, he ended up behind her and started to unbind her. Kallen was surprised to see Lelouch doing such a thing and felt slight relief that her limbs were free to move around a bit. She stood up and stretched her arms a bit more, but soon found herself face to face with Lelouch, his hands upon her shoulders.

"Before you go, I will give you this."

Kallen, caught off guard and eyes wide open, soon found her lips meeting with Lelouch's. She found him slightly forceful and a little bit inexperienced, but in her mind, it was somewhat tender and light. He did not force his tongue into hers, nor did she. It was a simple kiss on the lips, though to her, it felt a bit passionate, as if there had been feelings behind it. Though feeling slightly disheartened when he pulled away, Kallen shook her head of the fake fantasy that had flashed in her mind.

"If you feel disgusted by my "goodbye" kiss, then I suggest you wipe it from your mind."

Lelouch soon went to the door and knocked. "This is the last time we will meet in this life, Kallen Kouzuki."

Kallen felt a bit saddened by his words, but had realized that it might as well be true since the execution was within a week. She stayed silent, not noticing the frown upon Lelouch's face. The guards soon came in and this time restrained Kallen without any resistance from her. As they left the room, her head turned toward Lelouch. Though the distance was increasing, she swore that she had seen the frown upon his face, and the sorrow in his eyes.

Lelouch soon closed the door behind him and sighed. _'I don't wish that you dwell on what has transpired between us now, Kallen'_ Lelouch thought to himself. _'I hope you can lead a good life and protect the world that I will give you after all of this is done.'_

Lelouch had begun to walk down the next corridor and down to his next location. On his way, he thought about how he had left his former comrades. He knew that it wasn't right to have put them through this type of suffering, but he also knew that it could only be the way to show them the true nature of evil and how it must be rid of in order to progress to the future. A few more corridors down, Lelouch stopped in front of two modern looking doors. Before entering, he tried to gather up his composure and braced himself for the upcoming talk.

'_I have to do this, in order to move on with my plan'_ he nervously thought. He signaled the guards to open the doors.

Chains began to rattle at the sound of the doors opening. Lelouch stepped through the entrance and stood within the center of the room. He saw the figure of a person on the ground, sitting in a wilting formation. Soon, Lelouch's amethyst eyes were met with younger, violet eyes.

Lelouch smiled sadly as the doors closed.

"Hello, dear sister."

To be continued…if desired.

A/N: Well, as I promised, I have finally finished this chapter in under the usual time I would take updating the story. I am glad to have finally gotten through what I like to call the hardest parts of this story and am in the process of approaching the end to this story(but it won't be for a while still ^^). Now, let's get to my talking points shall we? Okay first off, I wanted this chapter to be about what a leader and a follower should be, then I wanted to transition to the relationship that Kallen had with Lelouch and Zero. I had to start where it was obvious that the feelings would show up. I also wanted to include what had happened during the year gap in between season one and season two. I will get more into those gaps later on in the story. Second, I might have gone a bit into fan service when trying to get them to explain their feelings for each other. The most of that probably had to come from the kiss near the end of the chapter. And last, did you really believe that I would leave Nunnally out of the loop? You see, unlike the others, I wanted the talk to be more secluded and personal, so that's why I am going to put it in Nunnally's cell (boy, does that hurt to say…). If you have any questions or comments, just comment on the chapter, it is greatly appreciated. I mean, it was due to the response that I had last chapter that led me to release this one early. Oh and by the way, this is probably the longest chapter that I have written so far. Thanks to everyone for staying with me on this story. Please R&R and thanks again.


	15. Final Message For You: Dearest Sister

Lelouch gazed down towards Nunnally; she stared back at him. Silence had occupied the space between them. For Lelouch, the space seemed wider than what it had seemed to be; countless miles in the form of just a few feet, and twice as barren. The cell itself was larger than any of the regular cells he had kept the other prisoners in. There was also a bed for her to sleep on; the regular prisoners had slept on the ground and a window over the bed, on the opposing wall in front of Lelouch, with a view of the sky. A regular steel chair was right beside the bedpost, facing towards the right wall.

Lelouch inadvertently scoffed within the confines of his mind. He had counted his blessings, years ago, that Nunnally was blinded by trauma. He could remember the countless times he, and sometimes Suzaku, and countless others, had spent with Nunnally. He worried and dreaded the possibility that Nunnally would grow wise to the lies she had been fed from the people around her, including Lelouch himself. He felt lucky that she had shown no evidence that she had been aware of the reality around her.

To him, she was pure and innocent in any and every imaginable form. She was a saint to him, a ray of hope and purpose to all, and on a deeper level, she was his precious possession. He never treated her like an object in his life, though he would sometimes keep close to her as if she was. He knew that deep within his heart, he would let no one have her. But he knew that such feelings were by far the most arrogant and self-centered in his being.

He remembered that he had promised her that by the time she could see again, the world would be how she wanted it; gentle as she was to everyone. He would give her the world she rightfully deserved.

Looking back on it, he figured that he would indeed give her the world she wanted, the world she deserved more than anything. Sadly, it had to be that he would gain nothing and lose everything in return.

It took most of his willpower just to restrain himself from acting in a manner that resembled what he used to be; her brother. So, he just gazed at her eyes, her soft, betrayed violet eyes and spoke in a normal manner.

"It certainly has been a while dear sister. How have you been?" He knew that the last few words were out of taste and slightly cliché, if not the least bit sarcastic.

Nunnally remained silent as she diverted her eyes away from his.

Lelouch tilted his head and frowned. "Aw, don't be like that Nunnally." He moved in closer.

Nunnally shifted herself, backing away from her brother. She turned her head more and backed into a wall, huddling up against the cold steel of her prison cell.

Lelouch bent down and stared straight at her. "Please, look at me."

No movement or response came.

"Look at me" said Lelouch in a firm manner.

Nunnally felt scared. She knew that her brother; no, Lelouch was right in front of her. She knew that he was getting closer to her. What scared her most was that she knew of her brother's geass power. Her heart shuddered as she recalled her memory loss, during which Lelouch had he under his control. She assumed that defying his order meant that he would once again use it on her. So, she meekly turned toward Lelouch.

Lelouch smiled deviously. "There we go."

"W-What do you want?" asked Nunnally in a shaky voice.

Lelouch knew his sister was scared of him now. There had been no reason to be relax at all from the moment he stepped foot into her cell. He knew that her accommodations were different than the others were which made him feel a bit reluctant to think that she would wonder why he would give her a nicer cell in the first place. He had cursed himself that even now he had treated her like how he did before; as a sibling. The same could not be said for Schneizel, as he was placed in a separate cell similar to the regular cells, but with no one to talk to. In a way, Lelouch wanted him to suffer like he did all those years ago, despite Schneizel being under Lelouch's geass and how he commanded him to accept the accommodations without question.

His smile softened when he spoke to Nunnally. "I just want to talk with you."

It was hard to accept that Lelouch would just simply talk with her. Nunnally knew in her mind that she wanted to have time to talk with her brother, to understand why he had gone such lengths to destroy the hopes of the people. More importantly, she wanted to know why her own brother, whom she knew loved her as much as she did towards him, the one whom gave her everything a sister could want from her brother, had shattered that visage when he ascended the throne of their father. It would not be these reasons that she spoke, but rather her fear of realizing that the brother she once knew and loved became that which he was now; a ruthless tyrant with devilish powers.

"What is there to talk about?" Nunnally knew that he tone was a bit defiant, but she knew no reason to be kind when speaking to the ruler of the current world. Besides, she figured that what was said on the Damocles a month ago probably could've been the last words she would speak when in the presence of her own brother.

Lelouch knew that Nunnally was not being sincere, and it hurt slightly to see her do so. But he knew that he had to be adamant in his role as the demon king.

"Oh, we have much to talk about my dear sister." Lelouch rose to his feet. "We have very much to talk about." He soon grabbed the steel chair by the bed, brought it in front of Nunnally, and took his seat. He pointed towards the bed beside her.

"Sit."

He instantly saw a look of disbelief on her face. Though her chains were long enough to extend towards any part of the room, he knew that his remark had been a bit heartless due to Nunnally's condition. She first looked at the bed, then after a few moments decided to sit. It was unbearable to see Nunnally struggle to crawl towards the bed. It took another huge amount of restraint to keep Lelouch from going to his sister's side and help her onto the bed. He witnessed her slowly crawling toward the side of the bed, chains rattling along the way. Her legs were being dragged carefully across the ground, her red garments keeping most of her skin away from the floor itself. Lelouch heard the small pants coming from Nunnally as she placed her hands on the bed. He was slightly amazed to see that she could pull herself onto the bed, but still had the bitter taste of sadism on his tongue during the spectacle.

"I'm surprised that you still had enough energy to pull yourself up" stated Lelouch in a genuinely surprised manner.

Nunnally caught her breath. "I'm not as helpless now as I was back when we were at Ashford."

"Is that true?" he asked in a mocking fashion. "Then tell me, did you have the energy to tuck yourself into bed at night back then as well?"

Nunnally shook her head. "Sayoko would help me into bed when I was feeling sleepy…and when you weren't around."

"Of course she would" he restated to her.

"And during my time at home, she would help me in your stead. You never came home at your usual time, always coming home later and later."

"Tell me, what do you think of Sayoko?" Lelouch knew his answer to that same question, but never knew what his sister thought of their maid/second mother.

"She reminded me of Mother."

Lelouch was surprised to hear the same thought coming from his sister. "And how might that be?"

"Well, I can't clearly remember how mother was to us, but if I had to guess, she might have been the same as Sayoko in those terms." Nunnally paused. Feeling slightly winded by her previous endeavor, she caught her breath again. "Though, she cannot replace Mother."

"Oh really?" Lelouch understood how Nunnally felt that way. Despite knowing that Sayoko was a servant, he had felt that she had become more like their mother instead of maid. Even more so since the time he confronted his own mother.

"How is she different from Mother?" Lelouch had to probe deeper to get a clearer answer from Nunnally.

At first, Nunnally hesitated, slightly confused about the reasons behind his question.

"She is just different, I guess."

"You guess?"

"I can't really say how she is different from our mom, but I guess that is how it just is with children and their parents."

Lelouch knew many possibilities as to why Sayoko was different from their own mother, but even now, he found Nunnally's answer to be quite intriguing. _'A difference based on instinct?'_ he thought for a moment. Surely he would have considered it impossible, but as of everything that happened during his years, he had to just accept the nature of the answer in its entirety.

"And what do you think of our father?" If Lelouch were any other type of person, he would have assumed that Nunnally would have a similar view of their father as he did.

"He is…" Nunnally started. "He is…our father."

Lelouch felt surprised to hear the words.

"Sure, I may have not been able to see him often, and I know that he was very busy most of the time since he was emperor, but he was still my father."

To say that Lelouch was surprised was an understatement. He was by far flabbergasted, and somewhat angry by the simple answer his sister gave him. He knew that her views were her own and quite possibly truthful, but he knew that when it came to his parents, Nunnally's views were far from the actual truth. For a moment, Lelouch became silent, taking time to suck in the information.

'_Should I tell her the truth?' _he thought. _'No, I can't. Of all things, I cannot, must not, tell her of what I had heard back in C's World.'_ Lelouch knew that it might have been a bit cruel had he spoken about their parents' real objective. Of all the things he had kept hidden, that truth had to be buried along with the rest of his memories.

"Brother…"

Lelouch shook his head and brought his attention back on Nunnally.

"Why did you kill Father?"

Lelouch knew that her question was understandable considering the news that he had ascended the throne a month after the confrontation in C's World as well as the destruction of his father's and mother's mausoleums and anything that reminded him of their existence.

"Why did I kill him, you ask?"

Nunnally nodded.

Lelouch grinned. "I killed him for vengeance."

Nunnally found his cold demeanor quite distasteful. To her, his attitude did not resemble that of her kind brother, though she knew that it wasn't something that she could not wave off either. Lelouch was no longer the kind brother she once loved, but she still believed that he was there, somewhere inside Lelouch's heart. The thought threatened to bring tears to her eyes, but her desire to be strong in the face of the demon king had settled her nerves.

"For vengeance?"

"Indeed, I did it to avenge Mother's death. I did it to show him the error of his ways. And I did it for your sake as well."

Nunnally winced at the last sentenced. She, initially, couldn't believe that Lelouch had done it for her sake, let alone for their mother's as well.

"Tell me, was it all just for my sake?" Deep in her mind, Nunnally was slightly irked by the notion that what Lelouch had done was not for her, but in some ways, it might've been the best had it actually not been for her own will.

Lelouch was surprised to hear Nunnally ask the same question again. He had remembered how he had told her that she was naïve to think that what he had done as Zero had been for her sake; it was in reality for the whole world as well as her own wish for a gentler world.

"Would you regret it if it was?"

Nunnally was surprised to hear such a comment. She wondered how and why she would regret her decisions as well as Lelouch's.

"I-I cannot say…" she mumbled under her feigning silence.

Lelouch smirked. "Would it be considered selfish if I did say it was?"

Nunnally became more confused about where she stood on the subject of Lelouch's objectives. She had thought back at how they talked through the royal connection lines. Though she could not see when she had heard Lelouch's voice, to her, it sounded genuine. She felt devastated when he proclaimed that her assumptions on his actions as Zero were naïve and archaic. It had taken a lot out of her just to talk with Lelouch and Suzaku, but when the connection was cut, she felt all the more drained, both physically and emotionally.

The sound of Lelouch laughing brought her back to the present.

"As you said that day, 'when did I, you, ask for all of this?' Being that, then it shouldn't be about your sake alone. I did it for my own personal reasons. Sounds selfish, but why should I do it for anyone else?" Lelouch became more serious. "I have no reason to live for another's wish but my own, because that is the only thing that never betrays."

"What do you mean by betray?" Lelouch saw the hint of sad curiosity in her eyes.

"I have been betrayed by many things; my friends, my followers, even my own family, including you." Lelouch looked away. "I have never been betrayed by my own will."

"But brother, you have betrayed countless others, including the world, and me."

"I have indeed betrayed the world" Lelouch started. "But it has betrayed me far worse than what I have done unto everyone. Every day that I have lived, I saw nothing more than one atrocity after another. At first, you, Suzaku, and our friends were the only things that made the day seem a bit softer. But for the most part, it felt like having dirt shoved into my face, and then forced to eat it as if it were food." Nunnally stayed silent as she watched her brother speak. She knew he was still bitter, but she never perceived the anger inside of Lelouch to still be burning hot.

"It was hell for me. I lived in it every day and never thought it could get any worse." Lelouch paused. He knew that what he had said was indeed true, for the most part. It hurt to keep the real truth inside, but to him, it was a small sacrifice for a world of peace, for everyone including his sister.

"Tell me Nunnally, how was your life?"

His abruptness in asking about how her life was somewhat caught Nunnally off guard.

"I want you to tell me how you have been this last year, from when you were taken in by the royal family; no, from after the Black Rebellion."

To say that Nunnally was surprised is an understatement. Perplexed would be appropriate to describe her current state. When she thought about it, she remembered that she had not seen nor heard him since after the Black Rebellion. She took a moment for herself before she complied.

"From when it started, I was waiting for you to come home as usual. I was deeply saddened at how Sister Euphie was proclaimed as the "Massacre Princess" and how she died." Nunnally paused, fearing that her tears would stop her.

Lelouch had only thought of how Nunnally was feeling after hearing such news. He knew he could not repent for that mistake too. "Continue…" he urged on.

"Sorry" Nunnally replied as she wiped her tears away. "Soon, I heard someone come through the door, but could not tell who it was. He said his name was V.V. and that he would take me to where you were. I didn't know where I was going, all I knew is that if I cooperated, and if everything went perfectly, I would be reunited with you. I waited with V.V. for a long time, too long to count. Afterwards, V.V. said that I could be reunited with Father since you never showed up."

Lelouch could never forget why he could not get to Nunnally. He remembered it vividly, the first taste of betrayal that would scar him since his denouncing of his right to the throne.

"I was taken back to Britannia, and welcomed with so many praises and blessings."

In his mind, Lelouch felt bitter when he heard what she had received. He knew it had to be false, he assumed and assured himself, but father deep into his soul, ached the sense of belonging and warmth that made Nunnally's comment all the more gut-wrenching.

"I had met with our other siblings and they were happy to see me alive; Sister Cornelia also was happy when I met her in the infirmary. Even Father came to see me. He welcomed me back happily. And then Suzaku came to see me. I was just so happy to see him alive."

Lelouch held back his bitterness and jealousy as Nunnally continued.

"I went to extravagant parties with Suzaku and the two Knights of the Round that followed him. They were nice to me all the time. I celebrated my 15th birthday with the family, except for Father and Sister Cornelia. In time I became the new sub-viceroy of Area 11, I mean Japan. I wanted to try and continue where Sister Euphemia had sadly left off."

Lelouch's patience had been tried as he listened to her stories. If he could with every fiber of his being hate his own sister, it would have been legitimately understandable at this situation. He calmed his shaking hands and mentally reasoned with his troubled mind. He never realized how tragically realistic her experiences were up until now.

"But…" Nunnally started. "I have known for quite some time that things weren't how they used, or supposed to be. Suzaku seemed much more distant before, Sister Cornelia had been like Suzaku, and most of all, my most important question was never answered."

"And what would that question be?" Lelouch had to watch his tone for fear of acting sarcastic towards his sister.

"It would be…where you were all that time."

Lelouch wanted to assume that she had already been brainwashed into thinking like common Britannian royalty, but much to his surprise, she wasn't joking.

"Every night, when the palace was silent, in my room, I would lay awake wondering where you were then. During the day, I tried to ask the family and Suzaku about anything pertaining to you. No one answered my questions; they were just avoiding the subject." Lelouch could see a hint of sadness within her eyes. "It felt awful, not knowing whether you was safe or not. Everyone assumed that you were dead despite my pleas. Suzaku never answered me which seemed to raise suspicion that they were hiding the truth from me."

Lelouch felt his jealousy subside; knowing that being so would prove nothing and that what transpired now would not allow him to be what he once was.

"I was finally happy to hear your voice once again, but then you told me to lie, saying that I must act as though I did not know you. I asked myself why you would do that. Time passed by and I started to suspect that something wasn't right. I couldn't even trust Suzaku with what I had felt then. But at the time, I had been viceroy so I had no choice but to put my feelings on hold. When Nina's F.L.E.I.A. warhead exploded, I heard that it was right near the Governor's Building. I prayed that the plane would make it out in time, and it did. When the plane stopped, I had been reunited with Schneizel. A month went by and I heard nothing from Sayoko who had been on the same plane I was on. Then I heard that you had killed our father and had taken the throne along with Suzaku."

"The both of you betrayed the world…"

Lelouch raised his hand in front of Nunnally. "I know how the rest goes."

Nunnally paused and understood Lelouch's opposition. "In any case, I wanted to stop you from sinning even more."

"But you couldn't do it. Not when I had my geass power" Lelouch interrupted.

For some time, Nunnally stayed silent. She could not recollect her memory of the time she was under Lelouch's geass. She had been briefed as to what geass was, or at least what Lelouch's geass was.

"Would you like to see it?"

Nunnally's head whipped up, eyes facing forward in a bit of horror when Lelouch asked his question. She felt frightened because of the power he had could make her do anything.

Lelouch knew that it was impossible to control Nunnally again since his one and only chance was used to get the Damocles key from her.

"Don't be scared" he reassured her as he removed his contacts.

Nunnally looked away instantly. Lelouch brought his hand to her chin and slightly pulled her closer toward him.

"Look at me Nunnally" Lelouch stated bluntly in a serious manner as he removed the contacts that hid his permanent geass.

Nunnally knew that she had to not look into Lelouch's eyes, but she knew that her defense was weak enough for Lelouch to eventually force through. So she reluctantly opened her eyes and met with his. She quickly jerked her head away, but Lelouch's hand was still on her jaw, giving him a much better chance at pulling her towards him. Nunnally complied once more and opened her eyes once again. She was at first amazed at how the color was far darker than with his contacts on. But the feature that got her attention the most was the glowing geass symbols within each eye. It was frightening yet strangely beautiful to look at.

"With these eyes, I have caused many deaths, and wrought evil in all my actions. Yet as you stare into my eyes, I cannot force you to act."

"Why not?"

"Because that is the limit of this power." Lelouch dropped his hand away from her chin as she now held her glance towards his. "I am allowed only one command per person when I have this power. It sounds convenient for you, doesn't it?"

Nunnally nodded in reply, slowly pulling herself back to the bed.

"Of any geass power, I had gained the power to make people obey me. I had the power to force them to follow my command. I used it whenever I thought it was necessary." Lelouch laughed a bit, both at feigning malice and of irony. "It renewed my sense of living, for it gave me the chance I needed to take down Britannia. I was finally able to pull myself out of the hell that I was left in."

Nunnally wondered why Lelouch had thought of their life as nothing more than despair itself. To her, she had relished any and all time she spent with him. It seemed slightly unbearable to hear that it meant hardly anything to Lelouch.

"Why do you think the life we had been like that?" she questioned him.

For Lelouch, it wasn't that the time he spent with friends and family was dreadful.

"It is because of the experiences that I had gone through made it seem like hell. It is because of my own lineage that my world was so bland and unfulfilling." Lelouch paused for a moment, taking a glance at his sister. He saw that it had taken a little bit of time for her to comprehend what he was trying to say. "To put it simply, it was because I was me back then. I was Lelouch vi Britannia, the dethroned, shamed, and exiled prince. That part of me still remained." Lelouch chuckled. "And here I thought it would stay dead as it was before it all went sour."

Nunnally stayed quiet as Lelouch listlessly played with his fingers. For a while the silence continued, until she spoke.

"Brother" she started. "What happened to you when I was hospitalized that day?"

Lelouch felt slightly amazed to see Nunnally inquiring about that memory, though the possibility never had slipped from his mind. Lelouch took some time to gather the memories before speaking.

"I had gone to go see our father, to ask why he would allow our mother to be killed. And in doing so, I had received a most unsettling answer. He had no will to give us aid and had let the incident slide as if it were nothing. So, angered by his indifference, I declared my resignation to the throne. And you know what happened next?"

Nunnally waited patiently as Lelouch regained some composure from his speech.

"He said that I was dead to him." Initially, the audacity of the comment stunned Nunnally. She never thought that her father, despite being a renowned king, would say something like that to Lelouch. "He stated that I was an ungrateful brat who was dead the moment I was birthed, maybe even before." Lelouch's hands clenched tighter. "And all I could do was run with my tail between my legs. Days later, we would be exiled to Japan. It hurt worse since no one came to our aid. I felt bitter about that, and could not stand for it. But with no power, no influence, I had to swallow the despair it brought me."

"After the day Britannia invaded Japan, I knew that one day the emperor would pay for his crimes. And so for years, all this time I've planned my revenge on him, for everyone."

"Is that the reason why you think that your life was a living hell?" Nunnally questioned

"No, it was only a part of the reason my dear sister. There were so many factors for it being so; separation, corruption, destruction, living a false existence, the list goes on."

Nunnally was intrigued by the last specific reason that Lelouch stated. "The false existence…"

Lelouch nodded to her. "Not being able to live as what I was or what I should have been."

"Do you mean as a prince?"

"No, I mean as the person I was supposed to be; all because of our father's power."

"As the emperor of Britannia?"

"Not only that, but his geass too."

Lelouch saw Nunnally's shocked expression.

"Father had a geass power too?"

"Indeed, and he had used it against me as well, with the help of Suzaku whom had gained his status as the Knight of Seven afterwards." Lelouch's hand clenched once more. Nunnally gasped softly as Lelouch continued. "He had rewritten my memories, made me forget about the things that were significant in my life; being Zero, our mother and my royalty status, and even worse were the memories I had of you. He probably even altered the people's memories too, even those from the Student Council." Lelouch adjusted his position in his chair.

"What do you mean? Why would father…" Nunnally had briefly seen some memories flash by in her head. She had remembered that all attempts to try and gain contact with her friends from Ashford had been shot down. Placing two and two together, she figured that it must have been for that same reason.

"I had been forced to forget all of it and had been living under surveillance. Everyone no longer had memories of you being at Ashford. It was as if you were never there." Lelouch scoffed at the irony. "It's funny, while you lived like a princess; I lived like another helpless person in society. And yet we both were always kept from the truth, unwillingly betrayed by the people around us."

To Lelouch, his life hadn't been as bad as he made it seem. He knew it was fake, deep down, even without Nunnally; it seemed enjoyable when he had the same friends and no memory of any loss whatsoever. But to him, it wasn't enough if it couldn't be with everyone, including Nunnally and Euphemia. It was selfish for him to think that he wanted more out of his life. It disgusted him to think of how selfish and cruel human beings truly were.

"I hated that world" he muttered under his breath. "I hated it so much, not because of the way we lived, but because of the world itself. The deception, the betrayal, the cruel indifference that it had…" He glanced at his sister whom now was gazing back at him.

For a moment, he just stared into her eyes. Nostalgia had gripped Lelouch in that moment, throwing his mind back to days long past, where he had no worries other than beating Schneizel at chess and watching his sister. Times were better back then even if he was a prince or not. He had a loving mother and a wonderful sister, and even if his other relatives were not there, that was all he needed to be happy. Maybe he had been a bit selfish in a sense of just wanting that, but he could guess that royalty wasn't all that it was cracked up to be at that point.

"Have you ever wished that you could take something back?" Lelouch openly questioned Nunnally. She was drawn aback by his sudden statement.

"Have you ever at once in your life wanted to reverse or alter any outcome of your experience? Ever wanted to change your life before?"

Nunnally paused, contemplating the question. She knew that although being blind, she grew aware of certain things in her life. She could not do anything about it other than to hold her emotions and impulses back. But now, the chance was in front of her, and she decided it was time to let it out.

"I do…" Nunnally started. "I do have some things I would want to change."

Lelouch laid back in his seat and waited for her to continue.

"The tragedies, I would have liked if they did not happen. My legs, my sight, mother's assassination, the war, our separation from our friends; I'd rather not have experienced them at all."

"I wished that others would see how horrible the war was. So many lives were lost and yet the war did not stop. I wished that people could have accepted peace instead of bloodshed, so as to stop the suffering of others."

"But most of all…" Nunnally paused, her mind slightly dwelling on her last wish. "I wished that I wasn't so weak. I wanted to be strong enough so that people did not have to lie to me. I wish I hadn't been such a burden on everyone, including my brother."

Lelouch felt slightly stunned when she mentioned him. It was amazing to him that she had thought of herself like that.

"I wanted to understand why my brother became so corrupted. And now, I think I understand why."

"You do?" Lelouch was intrigued.

"I can conclude that you had been corrupted by selfish desires of revenge against those who did you wrong, mainly father. And so, you became Zero under the guise of justice to seek vengeance upon the Britannian Empire. But when you became emperor, you wanted vengeance against the world for defying you. If I had the power or the strength, I would have stopped you. But it doesn't matter now, since no one can stop you from reaching your goals."

Lelouch knew her tone was a bit more desolate than what he had thought; enough to even pierce his own iron will. But it was something he had known would happen should he confront the world. Lelouch sighed while standing up. He placed the chair back to where it had been before and looked back at Nunnally, her head facing downward, towards the cold steel.

"Do you hate your brother for his arrogance?" he asked her instantly. For a long time, Nunnally stayed silent.

"Do you hate me?" he asked again.

Nunnally mumbled a few inaudible words that Lelouch could barely hear, but understood what she had meant just by looking at the movements of her mouth and her slight trembling. Soon, Nunnally shook her head.

"I have already said what I needed to say."

"Indeed" stated Lelouch as her strode past Nunnally and towards the door. "Goodbye, my dear sister." Soon the door opened and closed once more. Nunnally had sat for a while on the bed, hands clenched together. Her trembling had not ceased even though Lelouch had left. Soon, she let her body fall onto the bed and cuddled up in a slight fetal position. Tears began falling onto the sheets and small sobbing sounds could be heard in the silence.

For Lelouch though, it was slightly tougher to accept what had happened. He could not feel himself getting better. Any other human would have felt relieved to have finally finished talking with inmates, but that was not the case now. There was a recognizable pain he felt at that moment as his mind recounted the words Nunnally had said. It was increasingly morbid as he walked away from the prisoner cells.

"_My brother is dead…"_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay I am finally done with this one, and it only took me at least three weeks to a month to finish…ugh, I really am such a procrastinator. This would be just one of the longest chapters that I will complete in this story. Now onto my points: I wanted this chapter to be meaningful and revealing for both Nunnally and Lelouch. I wanted to have them reveal how their lives were during the main story and the time skips that took place. Of course, I did have trouble trying to fit everyone else into this chapter, so forgive me if I have left anything important or unimportant, but significant out. I probably had about three different types of creativity when writing the chapter out. Overall, I wanted Nunnally to understand why Lelouch had turned into his personae and I wanted Lelouch to reveal as much as he could while still holding back some of the real truth as to why he became the way he is now and hiding his true goal for the Zero Requiem. I wanted him to be more hardened as ever when facing his sister, hopefully it went well. If you have any questions, just message me. Comments and reviews are as always appreciated. Thank you again for sticking with the story. Please wait patiently for the next chapter.


	16. Egotism Gets You Killed

The Demon King gazes at the sky for a moment, the blade now passing through the other side of his body even more. The receptors on and in his skin rapidly send danger messages to his brain, but it does not give any reply back; it was as if the signals had hit a brick wall. No, the messages might have made it but the brain made no response. The king felt like laughing, for his predicament could be compared to a captain going down with his vessel.

For in that moment, he felt unbelievable physical pain, as would any had they been impaled like him. He unwillingly let out a muffled gasp; inaudible to even the assassin that now had been even closer to him, but not unseen, he might've guessed. He thought for sure that the blood would also follow had he not raised his head ever so slightly. His life did not flash before him; rather, he had no memories left to flash across his mind after.

He noticed that the blade had stopped. He questioned to himself as to why the blade had not gone up to the hilt as he had prepared for. He thought that maybe going to the hilt had been thought as gruesome for him, but he would not know because he was not his assassin. He knew his killer well, and so maybe it was out of sympathy that he did not proceed any farther. The king felt like that may have been too gracious of his killer.

Blood began to trickle down, from both the blade and the wound. The king feels his mid section getting wetter and warmer as seconds become eternity. He feels his hand become more covered in his blood too, letting it stain himself as droplets begin to fall where he stands. There is no sorrow left to express from the king, but for the executioner, there is but all the more sadness to come. His coattails drape down onto the stage. The king's cap comes down hard onto the stage as well.

The king has his subjects and audience in his view. _'Ah…' _he mentally sighs. _'Their smiles…I can see them…'_ The people have no smiles, only hanging jaws in awe as the king is slain before them. _'Hallucinating…must be the blood loss…' _his logical mind notes. _'I know they aren't, but soon they will. Nothing but smiles after the madness that is my reign comes to its end.'_ The end is thought almost mockingly towards his arrogance. He once again winces at the pain. _'It is…a meaningful hurt' _he notes again. The king feels the urge to laugh amidst the pain, but suppresses it nonetheless. He only mocks his accomplishment in his mind.

'_Accomplishment…' _he wonders. _'Results have always been top priority, even now. Am I so vapid to just desire that bit of closure?'_ The king ponders. _'I deserve this, not because of my acts against the world, nor for my personal wishes, but I guess for being so selfish and selfless.' _He knows that his life meant nothing up until now, and yet he finds it ironic that he had placed himself so low and yet retained himself higher than anyone else. _'Doing this just to satisfy my urge to live and die; what an egotistical way to go.' _The King pauses. _'Yes, my ego has always been so strong in me, that even in the throes of my final days I still managed to be haughty. Towards everyone…'_

"L-Lelouch…" The king hears the voice of his executioner. Even though it had been a day for them, it felt like hearing it for the longest time.

The king weakly grins as the voice of his killer brings him back to those days ago, his final days.

'_Towards everyone…even them…'_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, this will be the last of the intermissions of Lelouch, for now the story gets into the real meat of the plot. Now, I had wanted to stave this off for a while so as to accumulate more reviews for the last chapter, but seeing as now I have no one else reviewing the story, I guess I will have to move on once more. I wished to have more reviews, but I think that the wait will be too much for some. In any case, I wanted this intermission to be a link towards Lelouch's arrogance and his selfish/selfless acts. If there are any questions, just message me, and reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks for sticking with the story.


	17. Orange is the Name of Loyalty

It was a long way back to the main chambers of the castle; he knew that, but didn't expect the distance to have been lengthened, at least within his mind. His mind was still in shock as he replayed the words again and again, every time it repeats is just another reminder of how human he still was. But it was no time for hindrances; he had to assume that all was and is still lost the moment he decided to act. So like his other emotions, he suppressed them farther downward into the deepest and blackest part of his soul.

'_Stop getting so worked up'_ he mentally started. _'You are the Demon King now; the Lelouch of the past is no longer here, remember?'_

It was supposedly true that his former self was but a memory now, to everyone. But he could not deny that his past was still inside of himself. It was problematic that he thought of it in such a way that makes a memory more immortal than anything.

'_Heh, now I'm scolding myself' _he emphatically thought in opposition. _'Isn't it far beyond the point to think of it now? Probably, but even so, the point in being like this is but only a hindrance.' _Lelouch sighed. _'So long as someone remembers that which once was, then it is evident that we aren't forgotten.' _Knowing that, he felt somewhat at ease. He knew that he would be remembered, as the Demon King to most, but there would be others of whom he knew that would remember him as he was long ago.

In a sense, that was the only thing that would give him peace at this moment. Lelouch turned down another corridor and ended up at the surveillance room. He was greeted by his subjects as usual. In front of him was one of the loyal comrades he had acquired before; one whom swore allegiance to him without the usage of geass.

"Master Lelouch" he bowed as he usually did.

"Jeremiah" Lelouch stated as he motioned for Jeremiah to rise. "Has everything been going smoothly?"

"Yes sir, no troublesome events have occurred either in the palace or the world."

"Good work as always." Lelouch soon turned his attention to the monitors behind Jeremiah. He observed the events around the world through those monitors, while the screens on the left and right displayed the prisoner cell blocks. Lelouch gazed at the monitors for some time, his face plastered with a sense of sorrow. He knew something was different now.

"Master Lelouch?"

He turned toward his subject. "What?"

Jeremiah hesitated for a moment. "You, um…never mind."

"Say what is on your mind" Lelouch stated.

"You, that is to say…seem dissatisfied."

Lelouch raised his eyebrow. "Really?" he said in a melancholic tone. Soon, Lelouch turned back towards the monitors. He saw the ones whom he had known, those he had enslaved, and those he had talked to some time ago. In a sense, seeing them as they were made Lelouch feel slightly uneasy now.

"Maybe that is the case then…"

Jeremiah glanced toward Lelouch, seeing the frown upon his young lord's face. He inferred that something must have been wrong with Lelouch.

Lelouch turned around and walked toward the door. As soon as the guards opened the doors, he glanced at Jeremiah whom had been following him with his eyes.

"Let's talk Jeremiah" he stated bluntly. Soon, Jeremiah was trailing beside Lelouch and soon found themselves in the halls.

For a few meters, both of them stayed silent. For Lelouch, he knew that in order to feel completely content with his actions, he desired to get closure from his former and soon-to-be former comrades.

"What is it that you want to talk about?" Jeremiah asked a bit earnestly due to it being Lelouch. "Is there something wrong?"

"Not really…" Lelouch dragged his words out a bit nonchalantly, knowing that there was indeed something going on underneath his persona. Of course, he figured that rhetoric was the best way he could segue into his usual problems.

"The ones who should shoot are those who are prepared to be shot…"

"Excuse me sir?" Jeremiah had the confused look evident.

"It is my personal philosophy. I wonder exactly why I used that phrase as to live my life two years ago." Lelouch smirked. "What do you think of it?"

"Well…" Lelouch found it somewhat entertaining to have a discussion about his own words, as well as watching Jeremiah contemplate an answer to his inquiry.

"Sound as though it may be, doesn't it seem a bit one-sided as to view actions of human beings? Does it not condemn the actions of any human?"

"Indeed, it also includes the aspect of double-sided revenge and retribution; whereas two humans, anyone, can act as to seek vengeance for the fallen and against that which had done them harm. Being so, it designates the original cause to be the sin. It is like the case between being Zero and having vengeance against my father's country."

Jeremiah felt amazed at how this young man, his master, the son of the late empress whom he cared for and wanted to protect, would have such thoughts. It seemed impressive overall to see it.

"The one who shot first was my father, whom had not stopped my mother's assassination, and had banished both me and my sister. My philosophy would clearly allow the retribution that I delivered against him; he became the one who was shot in the end." Lelouch glanced at Jeremiah from the corner of his eye. "Do you still think that my father was a greatly revered man for his own actions?"

"Whether it is the past or present, to me, Emperor Charles had been a shining pillar of patriotism, whose fortitude guided Britannia to the future. I too revered him, but I've always held a sort of grudge against him."

Lelouch was instantly surprised. "For what reason is that?"

"Because as you said, he banished both you and your sister. Of course, this was at the time I was personally grieving my own failure to protect her majesty and her children. Besides, a lowly ranked guard could never go against the emperor."

"It must have been hard for you" Lelouch stated admittedly, acknowledging the troubles of his own subject. In a way, Lelouch had seen himself as a selfish person when it came to grieving his loss. Being young back then, one couldn't expect to feel remorse from others nor acknowledge their own sense of grief.

"Indeed, I could never forgive myself for that failure, and as such, I devoted myself to creating the pureblood factions of Britannia. I had to move on while still maintaining my own duties."

"I see…" Lelouch understood Jeremiah's position, being unable to protect something and committing himself to bettering others. He was no stranger to that type of living; carrying on despite the troubles he had faced.

"Have I told you about my parents?"

Jeremiah craned towards Lelouch. "Is there something that I should know?"

"If you would like to then maybe…"

Jeremiah nodded without hesitation.

"My parents; I can guess that you were raised as a noble right?"

"Yes my lord"

"Well then you would be able to understand the basics of living like royalty. These rules applied to my sister and me as well. We grew up as nobles, but being kids, I didn't expect to understand the truth of nobility. It is like war when you have many siblings all vying for the same throne. We were taught the same things our parents were taught; proper etiquette and an overall understanding of the world through noble eyes. But in any case, my parents being the current emperor and empress were no different. The only one that watched us was our mother. My father was never around, understandably so since he was emperor. My mother cared for us and protected us from the other families, by which I mean the other empresses. But she was still a part of nobility, so at times we were left with ourselves and our kin.

"When she died, our father had been at his business, never once seeing or tending to us and our grief. And as he banished us, we could only be left with a searing pain of abandonment. No one was even lifting a finger to help; they only lifted a finger to point us to the door. I wonder, 'was that how a father should be to his own young kids?' Around the time I went to Japan, I was no longer feeling any sort of connection with my family other than my sister. And then he initiated the war against Japan when he clearly knew that we were there. It was heartless of him to take away everything that we had."

Lelouch paused briefly as the memory came back. Though numb, Lelouch still felt the pain from back then.

"When I confronted him in C's World, I had only revenge on my mind. We talked about why people must lie and why it causes the world to be driven to chaos. When my mother appeared, I wasn't sure whether I was dreaming or not. That was when my father began to speak about his own experience." Lelouch spoke hastily for a moment. "This was before I became emperor, just to clarify."

"Of course my lord"

"Okay, now getting back to where I was. My father spoke of how he and V.V., his 'brother', lived in their own hell."

"Wait, Master V.V. was the emperor's brother?"

The look on Jeremiah's face showed just how out of the loop he was.

"In a way that C.C. is my contractor. They were not blood related. But even so, they promised to each other that there would be no lies between them, and to create a world without them. But it turned sour when my mother died."

"How tragic" Jeremiah noted.

Lelouch shook his head. "It gets worse. You know how my mother was assassinated right?"

Jeremiah nodded once more.

"It was originally thought to be because of terrorists. Sadly that is a lie as well. It was V.V. whom killed my mother."

The shock of hearing such news made Jeremiah distraught. "How could he do that?"

"You mean why. Why exactly did V.V. kill my mother?" Lelouch scoffed. "Because of jealousy…"

"Jealousy?"

"Yes, he was jealous that my mother would eventually cause his contract with my father to be rendered useless. I guess he was afraid to lose his brother to a woman. When he met with the emperor, he wore an innocent mask as he spoke of her death like nothing."

"It can't be…" Jeremiah felt flabbergasted to hear of such news. "And to think I served under V.V. during that time."

"As for my sister, well, my father decided to rewrite her memories at that point. That is why she was crippled." Lelouch scoffed harder, still angry at the mentioning of that memory. "What kind of parent does that to his own children?" He looked toward Jeremiah, who was caught off guard by the sudden question. "As he described, it was necessary to do so. Because he wanted to protect us from V.V., he committed horrible acts onto his own. It is as C.C. claimed; when we love someone so much, we tend to push them away."

Jeremiah was pleasantly surprised at how Lelouch had explained the situation so clearly. "If I may interject my lord…" Jeremiah glanced at Lelouch and got a nod of approval. "Is not what you are doing the same thing that your father had done?"

"Huh?"

"You yourself are pushing everyone away. This kind of life you have led, this existence that you have now, all of it for the Zero Requiem, the hope for a better world; in doing so you have isolated yourself from everything."

Lelouch took in his words and took some time, as if he needed it, to understand Jeremiah's position. He smirked.

"You are indeed correct. That is why I am contradictory to my own actions. I speak of madness and tyrannical control, yet I am doing so for the greater good. Maybe this is what my father had to go through. Maybe even my own mother, whom also shared my father's ideals. But I cannot condemn either one despite them being the most horrible parents ever. I have trampled upon their ideals on the basis of revenge. I have destroyed their hopes of the world they sought."

"What exactly is that world?"

Lelouch paused for a moment. "In my view, it was a world of repetition; a world of the past. To them it was a world that was unmasked, where everyone could become what they truly were. A world where the dead were no longer dead and that peace would appear despite the awkwardness of being reunited with everyone. We would live in a world that never progressed forward, only reliving the same basic patterns, in theory. That is why they never did anything to help, because they knew that with their plan, we would all become reunited once more. It is no different than being like puppets on strings. Our methods will repeat, our lives mean nothing if we constantly act the same way. They did not understand what it meant to be human."

Lelouch chuckled a bit. "At times, I wonder if that world were to come true, then maybe I would have happiness to call my own. I worried more about my own life than I led on, as well as the lives of those whom I wanted to protect. But to accept one thing, another must be denied. And so I denied my parents their world and am now creating my own. In a sense, maybe I had just been so selfish to want my own way of life despite knowing the meaning of humanity. I cannot tell you what humanity we actually have, for that secret should never be found out."

"I understand sir."

"Tell me Jeremiah, after hearing this, how do you feel about it?"

"Me? Well, it is not as though I can really hastily change my opinion on them. If you think about it, they were technically doing what they thought would have been the best option. They are still human after all, despite not showing the common signs."

Lelouch pondered Jeremiah's observation. "Maybe you are right. In a way, my past experience was like my father's. We both experienced pain of loss, broken promises, and headstrong ideals. I have to admit, I did become like my father." Jeremiah nodded as they rounded a corner.

"That brings me to the second point of my previous argument; my actions. Whereas my father raised his hand against me, I rose up in defiance to him when I became Zero. I shot back the moment I had my own power. I became Zero originally for my mother and sister, and soon for the people that were oppressed by Britannia. I had become an obstacle against my father's plan."

Jeremiah smirked when he heard Zero's name. "And a thorn in my side as well."

Lelouch laughed a bit when he remembered how he had encountered Jeremiah as Zero for the first time. Jeremiah smirked when he saw Lelouch laughing.

"I've always wanted to ask you a question my lord."

"And what would that question be?" Lelouch ceased his laughing but still felt some joy out of mocking Jeremiah Gottwald the knight.

"Why exactly did you call me 'Orange Boy'?"

Lelouch paused and wondered why he did so. He knew that he was creative in most aspects of literature and speech, but he also knew that making up names was not a strong suit. He pondered at times why he called himself Zero at the time of his debut. At times he felt that being called Zero would attract more followers due to being labeled as a single name is mysterious enough. The mask he wore, the garments, and his cape just made him feel, at times, like a superhero. Rather than settling for superhero, he opted himself as a hero, something that would be considered less than what he was. There were times when he wondered why he never called himself by an actual name instead of a number, like his followers.

"Honestly, I don't really know why I did." Lelouch smirked at Jeremiah. "I'm sorry if it caused you trouble."

"It caused me a lot of hardships my lord" Jeremiah stated a bit frustratingly. "I lost my rank, my mind, and my goals because of it."

"Blame it on the bandwagon effect. You believed it, so did others, and you were scrutinized because of it. Whether you knew it to be false or not, the problem was with you not trying to disprove my assumptions." Lelouch retorted a bit jokingly, but with logic still evident.

Jeremiah sighed. "But as it stands, that name you gave me; I consider it as a sign of my loyalty to you. So, I think I will be content with it."

"If you say so" Lelouch smiled at Jeremiah, whom also smiled back. As they turned another corridor, the joyful attitudes of the two grew quieter with each passing step. Somewhere in his mind, Lelouch had to let Jeremiah know of his part in the Zero Requiem, as well as something else. Lelouch stopped in his place.

"Jeremiah Gottwald"

Jeremiah halted and turned toward Lelouch. "Yes my lord?"

"Tell me, have I become different? From before I mean."

Jeremiah pondered what Lelouch was trying to get at. Despite his own knowledge of Lelouch, he figured that his opinion would only be convenient to himself. He did not know him enough when he was younger, nor when Lelouch was a teenager. But he did know Zero and his actions. He knew about the followers of Zero and the factions that rose with him. In a way, it was hard to try and put two and two together to make up an overall evaluation of Lelouch.

"From what I know" he started. "You are indeed a great person, and a great strategist. You may have been an enigma to me before, when you were Zero, but when I confronted you, and when you told me of your true objectives, I could not help but be humbled by the magnitude of your ambition. I am grateful to have served you in these times and am grateful that you have recognized my usefulness. You are truly a king worth serving."

Lelouch smirked and shook his head. "That may be a bit too much, but I must thank you for showing your loyalty to my goals. Your humility for one such as me is immeasurable, and for that I am grateful." Jeremiah was surprised as Lelouch bowed his head to him. Feeling greatly appreciated, he too bowed to his young lord. The two continued their stride along the hallway, evidently closing in on Lelouch's room. For Lelouch, this was the moment he would prefer to further delve into the plan with Jeremiah.

"I have something to tell you Jeremiah" said Lelouch in a more serious tone.

"What is it my lord?"

"I want to give you your part in the final step of the Zero Requiem."

In an instant, Jeremiah became headstrong with his feelings of private obligation as Lelouch's second knight.

"As I have said, I will be at the execution at the start of next month. I have already designated the vehicles to use for the procession. I will be sitting on a throne on the main float. You will be on the lower part of the float, standing next to two of the designated prisoners that will be on the same float as me. I am giving you command of the soldiers that will be accompanying us throughout the city."

"I understand sir."

"There is but two things I will ask you to do. The first is simple: If there is an assassin, despite what he/she looks like, I am giving you orders to halt any interference from the soldiers. When the assassin gets past the guards, confront the person, but do not engage them in a fight. Allow them to pass through."

Jeremiah's eyes were wide with amazement when he processed the order to let an assassin pass through. A part of him wanted to refuse the order, but since he had already come to terms with Lelouch giving his life for the world, he had no choice but to accept.

"The second order I will give to you now may seem a bit unorthodox. Now, after the assassin has done the job of killing me, and when I am confirmed as dead, if you hear cheers then order the soldiers to retreat, even those with Sutherlands should retreat by ejecting from the machines. I want you to retreat with them. Leave my body if it is indeed still on the float. When you are out of sight, get a vehicle and wait for one Sutherland suit to pass by on the main road of the procession. That is your cue. Follow the suit wherever it goes. The person in the suit will give you your final commands. Afterwards, you are free to live your life. But I suggest you have a safe house or a backup plan for you to fall on. Do you understand your orders?"

"Yes my lord!" Jeremiah stated with a confirming boom in his voice.

Lelouch nodded and before the two went their separate ways, Lelouch stopped at his room's door and turned back.

"Jeremiah" he called out in a moderate tone.

"Yes?"

"What do you want when all of this is over?"

Jeremiah stared, slightly confused by the question.

"What life do you want to live after I'm gone?"

Jeremiah thought hard, but could not find an answer. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know my lord."

Lelouch smirked. "It will come to you one day. You could become anything you want, like a teacher, or a guard, or a farmer."

The "farmer" suggestion made Jeremiah slightly reminiscent about the time when Guilford had also suggested, although a bit more mockingly, that he should become a farmer.

"I will decide for myself my lord" he stated proudly as he turned and walked away.

Lelouch smiled. "The future is what you make of it" he stated quietly to himself and soon withdrew into his bedroom once more, this time feeling more content with his own choices.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Well, now this one was a bit less tricky than the others. Writing about Jeremiah is easy at first since most of his character is summarized in two words; chivalrous and loyal. Now despite him having mental issues about failing and being called Orange boy, he is easily one of the more likable antagonists of the story. I probably could have gone more into why exactly Lelouch gave him the name Orange, but with limited resources, it is hard to keep to the main storyline without going off into pure fan-based assumptions when it came to the "origin of Orange" (maybe a new fanfic?). Now what I was going for was to explain how Jeremiah was loyal not only to Britannia, but more for Marianne's family, less for the emperor though. With that, I wanted to also delve a bit into just how human Lelouch and his parents were despite their conflict. Hopefully the point is made that Jeremiah is a loyal person to his own beliefs and to Lelouch. In any case, if there are questions just please message me and, as always, reviews/comments are greatly appreciated. Once again, thank you for sticking with the story.


	18. Knight of Zero and Demon King

Lelouch sighed as he closed the door, feeling a mixture of elation and ease alongside his usual downcast demeanor. To him, it was a time of both rejoicing that most of his binds have been severed, and a time of silent repentance for keeping the lie that he had successfully given his former followers. Lelouch soon pulled his coat off his shoulders and placed it right upon his bedpost, accompanied by his imperial hat. He sighed again as he took a seat on the side of the bed, his eyes straight at the floor.

'_I hope that Jeremiah understood the plan, since I had no map with me.' _He knew that it would have been easier to explain the plans, if he had one, but given that he wasn't done explaining the plan to his two other accomplices, there were many chances to talk about it in detail.

Lelouch had let himself fall backwards onto the bed. His eyes gazed out the window; the day was beginning to fall, the sun giving the sky its deep blue setting, paving the way for the orange sunset. Afternoon had just rolled in and it amazed Lelouch that he had missed the sight of nature's beauty. Soon, he found himself in memories of days long past.

**Flashback**

(Lelouch's P.O.V)

Even as a young boy, I was always fascinated about the outer world, the world beyond my royalty-tainted existence. Back when Nunnally and I used to roam the royal gardens, our mother gazing at us contently, sometimes our siblings were with us, mostly Euphemia; no, only Euphemia. It was never a good time when the rest came around, especially with Schneizel.

Of course that was before that horrible day. As I recall, they never were there for us when it all spiraled downhill. To me, the youngest male sibling, they were heartless and inconsiderate in that they never lifted a finger to help. Maybe I figured them to be inhuman.

But when I think about it, I do remember times when, looking past my own rivalry, I saw glimpses of them with their own interests, of their own humanity. Clovis was always the creative one, drawing and painting, not messing up in any way nor getting paint upon his clothing. I remember how he used to show Mother the things he had created. She smiled and he would be giddier than any of us. Schneizel, my own rival in chess, had also loved certain things, but mostly the same subjects that I had. Of course, he was distant at times, lost among books of strategy and history. He was indeed a nobleman.

Cornelia, always the strong-willed sister to every single one of us; however only to display her softer side towards Euphemia, like I was with Nunnally. She mainly was with Mother every time she had come with Euphemia in toe. She'd send her to us while she went off with the empress. And then there was Euphemia, the ball of energy of the group, the one who reminded me of how my younger sister was both now and then. The two would go off somewhere and play games, and if she wasn't there, she would always bother me just to get my attention. I may have acted like it was unwanted, but somewhere deep in me, I had appreciated the gesture, maybe even loved her for that same reason.

The skies were always bright and blue at that time, but then grew grey over the death of Mother and the horrible trauma my sister had encountered. Such a bleak looking sky it was, only made bleaker by our banishment.

Even when in Japan, the skies were always dark and heavy, hanging above my head just enough to pelt me with the rain of sorrow and hatred I had gained for Britannia. Suzaku then showed me that the skies weren't always going to be grey for me. Yes, for both Nunnally and me, with him our skies grew brighter with friendship. Yet even that would turn sour when the war started. In a way, I knew that they, Suzaku and Nunnally would keep smiling just to stave off the clouds that tried to loom over their worlds. As for me, it was not the same.

Even at the Ashford's estate the atmosphere never changed, for me I guess. For Nunnally, the world just seemed brighter with every day. Heh, our situation was like a cloudy day; Nunnally was always the sun beyond the clouds, shining brighter every time it came. I on the other hand had always been the ground under the clouds; stoic, unchanging, helpless and at the mercy of the oncoming rain. Milly made Nunnally's day all the more brighter, while mine just grew dimmer with each of her schemes. Even when I looked through the window, and saw such bright skies, I would never acknowledge it, pushing it farther away from my blurred perception of the world.

What could I do? I was just but a boy, bitter and angry at Britannia, at my father, and at the world in general. Yup, that's how I was I guess, just a self-centered, jilted, stubborn little kid who couldn't let things go. I probably can consider myself a bit of a sociopath, not caring about others, at least to some extent. But I guess that is how I was supposed to be; no, maybe it was that I wanted myself to believe that I was sociopathic and uncaring. Of course, now it just has to be that; it has to be this way to create a better world.

Ultimately, I may have been messed up since the beginning. The skies I look up into now nothing but perpetually darkened clouds.

But with such time left as I have, there is no way I can confirm that to everyone. People know me now as the most hated being on Earth, probably surpassing the previously thought. I will take it up and show the world just how far a person like me will be willing to go. Then afterwards the people will begin to see brighter days.

**End Flashback**

Lelouch shifted back up and leaned forward, pushing himself up onto his feet.

"Funny, it seems so much easier to identify the hidden than it is to display it. In a sense, that explains why people wear social masks; they can see what others are but have no clue of what they themselves are in reality."

Sighing in personal defeat, Lelouch walked over to his desk. Coming to a stop at his seat, he bent down to pull out a small drawer. In it, a small brown book, worn away with time yet still retaining some of its previous luster, was soon in his hands. He flicked the cover open and was surprised that the pages were slightly mistreated; crumpled edges, slight liquid stains blurring inked words, but such things did not bother Lelouch as much despite his own sense of organization. He gazed at the writing; scheduled meetings and dates and times of events that passed him by long ago.

"So predictable of me" he muttered. "Always planned out like nothing, always the same type of events. Skipping class by day, gambling by night, fighting wars on free days…" He noticed that the trend was repeated throughout the first sections of the book. "On the surface, I'm but another delinquent." He smirked knowing that he was still an over achiever at heart. "A simple mask of another student, I guess."

His grin soon disappeared as he progressed through the pages, noticing that the middle of the book was blank. He concurred that it had been from the time he was captured and had his memories altered. Then the pages became full again, with the same type of schedules as the first few pages. He did not smile for he knew that the mask he had worn months past was the same he wore months later.

"That is how I was" he sighed. "Just the same type of person on the surface once more…"

Knowing himself, Lelouch closed the book and placed it down upon his desktop. For some time he gazed at the cover, mentally noting the gold lettering label that read "Lelouch's Journal"

"This journal is nothing more than a representation of my former self, as Lelouch Lamperouge. Its surface held together by mere leather upholstery, my outward appearance, weathered by hardships and stains of the past. Its pages, my mind, now covered with blots and stains overlapping the once clear and maintained words of wishes and dreams, or in my case ambitions and goals. Its binding, my physical endurance, once strong now just limp and weak; it's amazing that it can hold such things together. It strangely feels like I am indeed looking at myself, my former self."

In his mind, he had known that what he just described was just his own speculation. Although, in a sense, he also accepted the idea that it too was also an accurate portrayal of his identity as a young adult. He was well aware of his own appearance back then, but he knew how to bypass it so as to not let him be affected by it.

He then mentally brought up a picture of Zero, his alter ego.

"An opposite of my plebeian self I must say. Strong-willed and intelligent, cunning yet verbally considerate; indeed it was an opposite when compared to my past. Obscure like well written riddles, with the appearance of an even more enigmatic individual; indeed an opposite in every way." He smirked instantly. "And yet underneath that mask, my former self was occupying the space. And even under that mask, this visage of mine that I now adorn for the world has become known and feared. Of all the times I would have liked to have been known…Such audacity to think like that." His grin disappeared and his eyes became heavy as they were locked onto the journal.

"And under this guise…I wonder what type of person I really am, or whether I can accept it in total. If I had to decide, I would probably be just like my young self, scorned and wanting retribution, self-centered and detached from everything."

Lelouch shook his head and grinned once more.

"Of course, that part of me was also known I guess. People say I'm not that easy to figure out, and that I don't show my true intent, but that is because they would not really understand exactly why a person like me would go through with such things. It is natural for people to not understand others." Lelouch let out a sigh. "Oh well, as Milly says, every person is entitled to their opinion."

A knock was heard coming from the door. Lelouch turned his head quickly in the direction of the sound.

"Come in" he stated nonchalantly.

A familiar brown-haired person came entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"Ah, Suzaku" Lelouch placed a small smile upon his face at the sight of his friend.

"Hey Lelouch" Suzaku replied back, slowly approaching Lelouch.

"What brings you here?"

Suzaku did not answer for a while as he stood in front of Lelouch. Somehow instinctively, Lelouch knew that Suzaku came to him to discuss the Zero Requiem. He motioned toward the seat at his desk.

"Sit."

Suzaku did as he was instructed and sat at the desk, facing towards Lelouch whom had taken a seat on his bed. For a while the two sat in silence, the air around them getting slightly tense.

"What is it you want to talk about?" Lelouch asked, as if he had to.

"Lelouch" Suzaku started. "You and I both know what this, the Zero Requiem, is for."

"The creation of a better world" Lelouch interjected.

"And though it is absurd for me to say this, being so far into the plan, I must ask you the reason why you are trying to make yourself out to be the bad guy in all of this."

It did surprise Lelouch that even Suzaku was starting to question his methods once again, despite having contributed his services to his hegemonic regime.

"It can't be helped. You still try to question my motives?" Lelouch glanced at Suzaku, seeing determination and doubt within his eyes. Sighing, Lelouch continued. "You know as well as I do that we both are alike. We do things that we believe is right, despite going against society, and bearing the brunt of every single sin that we have committed. With that, I ask you, wouldn't you have done the same if you were me?"

Suzaku was taken aback by Lelouch's comment. He knew that what Lelouch had said was true, that they were alike in many ways. He understood it when he thought back over his whole life; times where he too would have taken on sins that he knew weren't his to bear. He knew all too well what it felt like to be the bad guy, even if he was on the side that he thought was righteous towards his goal.

"I guess you've got me there Lelouch."

"It is not that hard to figure you out, at least for me it isn't" Lelouch stated affirmatively, a bit sarcastically even.

Suzaku froze for a moment, realizing how transparent he must've been seen by Lelouch. He already knew that Lelouch was very perceptive of the feelings of others, yet despite having known him for so long, Suzaku couldn't help but feel a bit inept in understanding Lelouch.

"Suzaku" Lelouch started. "After dinner, would you wait for me in the throne room?"

Suzaku glanced at Lelouch. Seeing the determination in his eyes, Suzaku nodded acceptingly.

"Good" Lelouch replied, nodding his head towards Suzaku. Looking at the clock on the wall, Lelouch turned back toward Suzaku.

"Let's go eat, shall we?"

Suzaku stood and bowed.

"Yes, your majesty."

The two soon left the room, walking side by side once more, as friends.

_(After dinner, throne room)_

Suzaku had entered the throne room. Seeing that Lelouch was not yet there, he placed himself close to the seat which Lelouch would take when in front of his soldiers and subjects. Suzaku softly smirked to himself. At times, he wondered what it would be like to be an emperor, or rather to sit upon the throne of an emperor. Though he was previously of a high social standing, he never once had felt like royalty, unlike Lelouch whom had tasted that which he had previously denied. Out of curiosity, Suzaku had slowly placed himself upon the seat of power that Lelouch had claimed.

At first, it was not particularly different from other chairs or seating that he had used before. In a sense, a part of Suzaku felt discomfort from sitting in the most powerful seat in the entire world. In contrast, a part of him felt slightly more powerful due to it being the emperor's throne, his friend's rightful place. Yet Suzaku understood the reason why his discomfort persisted. It was because the chair he had sat in was meant for Lelouch, and not for him. Suzaku knew that the chair was for the emperor, but it was made so that the emperor, his friend, would rule over nothing and at the same time everything.

The loneliness that Lelouch must've felt, Suzaku thought, had probably taken its toll on him, and in doing so gave him the right to rule as emperor. Suzaku understood what it meant to feel alienated by the people of the world, but it seemed far more insignificant compared to Lelouch's own sense of solitude. Suzaku pondered his thoughts as he waited for Lelouch to arrive, letting his body sink into the throne that was meant for the lonely king.

A few moments later, the sound of footsteps began to get louder. Lelouch had entered the room through a different door, one through the wall behind the throne. He approached his seat, laying a single object down beside the throne. Soon, he appeared before Suzaku, causing him to stand at attention.

"Have you been waiting long?" asked Lelouch, a smile slowly appearing upon his face. "Did you enjoy the seat?"

Suzaku shook his head. "It really wasn't that comfortable."

"I see." Lelouch laughed a bit, knowing that the seat was uncomfortable in more ways than one.

Suzaku found Lelouch's laughter to be a bit contagious and soon giggled quietly in reply. Though the giggling did stop eventually, the two still remained somewhat professional in their own status.

"Lelouch…"

"I want to show you something Suzaku" Lelouch interrupted. From within his coat pocket, Lelouch revealed a switch-like control. Flicking the switch into the opposite position, a low rumbling sound filled the room. Lelouch turned his eyes toward the low platform beside him. Suzaku copied Lelouch and soon stood in amazement. Coming from the ground was a small alter hidden within the floor. As it rose, a few lights began to shine, revealing a hologram of the Tokyo Settlement to them. Suzaku stood speechless while Lelouch took his place right next to the edge of it.

"What is this?" asked Suzaku questioningly.

"It is the Tokyo Settlement" Lelouch replied. "Rather, it is just a holographic image." A keypad soon rose before Lelouch. Pressing one of the buttons, the hologram began to shift and soon the picture zoomed in, revealing the crater that was left by the F.L.E.I.A. that Suzaku had fired.

"It is amazing Lelouch" Suzaku stated in astonishment.

"I'm glad you like it, now pay attention. This is very important to the Zero Requiem."

"What do you mean?"

Lelouch sighed. "This is where the execution will be held."

Automatically, Suzaku tensed up. Lelouch glanced at him, and then pointed towards the map.

"Over here, in this upper left corner is where the planes holding the first set of prisoners will land, as well as my own jet and carrier planes that have the platforms for which the prisoners will be set upon, as well as the soldiers and a few Knightmares that will accompany us. Now, this" Lelouch placed his finger upon a small pathway in the hologram. "This is the path that I will have the platforms take. This will initiate the supposed "death march" into the city. I will have the soldiers lined up across the route, keeping everything in line. A few of the Knightmares will be heading the path, while the remaining ones line up at the end of the march, on the sidewalks."

Suzaku was quick to memorize the layout and the routes that Lelouch had pointed out.

"I understand, but why must you show me this?"

Lelouch glanced at Suzaku and shook his head. "Because you are the one who will initiate the final step."

In slight confusion, Suzaku looked back at Lelouch. "Isn't the plan you have revealed the final step?"

"No, the final step," Lelouch lifted his finger, pointing at Suzaku. "The final step is you."

"Me?" Suzaku shook his head in disbelief. "You aren't serious, are you? I mean, making me the final step?" Part of Suzaku's mind began to alarm him. "You mean that…"

"Yes, the one who will create the new world, and destroy the old world along with me, is you."

For what seemed like a long time, though in reality a very brief amount of time, Suzaku was left totally flabbergasted, to the point that he almost couldn't bear his own weight, let alone the gravity of the sudden confirmation of his worst fears. For a moment, Suzaku couldn't breathe, slightly suffocating from the tension around him. He felt like he was being slowly crushed under the pressure of his own anxiety.

Lelouch knew that the news would shock Suzaku, but he knew that it would have become a shock to anyone. He gave Suzaku some time to gather himself. Lelouch pressed another button and the hologram disappeared. Walking pass Suzaku, Lelouch picked up the object beside the throne and placed it behind him as he stood across from his friend.

Lelouch snapped his fingers, bringing Suzaku out of his daze. Both of their eyes met once more. The atmosphere between them grew silent and even tenser from before.

"Suzaku, as promised, I will grant your wish; the right to kill me."

Suzaku shook nervously. "You really are headstrong about this, aren't you?"

"Indeed. I have made my peace with this decision. Since all of the world's hatred is upon me, I can finally give the world what it desires; a tomorrow. All that will be done when you kill me; the cycle of hatred and war will cease, and everyone will be able to live in peace."

"I…" Suzaku struggled with his words. "I-I don't…want to kill you…"

Lelouch shook his head. "It is tough to have to accept it, and I'm sorry for putting you through this, but what is done cannot be undone. You must now accept that which I will give to you now. Here."

Suzaku was stunned when Lelouch revealed the object; the mask of Zero.

"The Black Knights will always have the legend of Zero as their legacy, and any loose end will be tied up; Schneizel will no longer pose a threat since he now follows Zero's command as well. When it is over, the world will be able to progress forward like it should always have. People will begin to rebuild, countries will prosper, and leaders will now delegate not through militaristic means, but around a table of discussion and compromise. Do you understand?"

Lelouch forwarded his hand towards Suzaku, who in turn accepted the gift his best friend gave him. Staring at it coldly, he wondered at how easily he could accept it. He mentally remarked at how well kept it was despite the few visible scratches. He felt the urge to throw the mask aside, as if just holding it seared his hands, but he fought the urge off.

"Because that…"

"Yes…" Lelouch joined in.

Suzaku swallowed hard and spoke. "That is the Zero Requiem." For a moment, Suzaku paused, trying hard to find the words he wanted to desperately say to Lelouch, fearing that if he couldn't find them, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"Back in C's World" he started. "We understood what the wish of humanity was; the desire to have a future…"

"Hey Suzaku, don't you think that a geass is similar to a wish?"

Suzaku stood wondering at how the two were similar.

"A wish is something that you cannot achieve by yourself, so you ask others for help, right?"

"A wish, huh?"

"Yes. Right now, I am going to cast a wish called geass upon everything in this world that it should progress to the people's liking, to progress forward for the sake of the future."

"To right the wrongs of the past and present…"

Lelouch smirked at Suzaku's perception of his goal. "The ones who shoot should be prepared to be shot at…"

Suzaku softly shook his head in defiance. "Why?"

Lelouch tilted his head towards Suzaku.

"Why does it have to be me?"

"You will understand soon. But now, listen to your king's final commands." Lelouch returned to the console and once again revealed the map. He looked back at Suzaku and saw him eyeing the route. Lelouch soon pointed to the end of the map.

"This is where the convoy is headed. Now, what you are to do is to be in one of the Knightmare frames at the end here. I suggest you stay in the Knightmare for the trip and get into position like the others. Now, as the convoy goes halfway into the route, you are to appear right in front of the procession. At that point, you will be dressed as Zero I presume?"

Suzaku nodded, still somewhat shaking from knowing his place in the final step.

"Good, at this point you are to charge through the procession, dodging bullets if possible. When Jeremiah charges at you, he will not attack, but you can make it seem like you are bypassing him to get to me. I will be at the top of the main platform. I will act as if to defend myself, so you have to disarm me and thus you will subsequently kill me with the item I will have placed in the Knightmare frame for you."

It surprised Suzaku that Lelouch could act so easily prepared, as if expecting to not make it out alive. But he could only nod in reply.

"Now, this last part of the plan will be it. After I am dead, Jeremiah will order the soldiers to retreat. When that happens, the people start to cheer for you, their hero of justice."

"How do you know that it will happen?"

"I just know. I mean you would too if the greatest evil is destroyed. But moving on, you will leave the area and go back to your Knightmare frame. Pilot it and go across the main road, the same as the procession route."

"Why do you want me to do that?"

Lelouch paused instantly. His silent demeanor had Suzaku worried, until he heard Lelouch scoff.

'_I know this is going to sound selfish' _he mentally stated as he turned to face Suzaku. With a deep breath, Lelouch spoke to him.

"I want you to retrieve my body."

By far, this ultimately traumatized Suzaku. "What the hell Lelouch, are you trying to torture me with this?! I mean, first I have to become Zero, then I have to kill you, and now this?!"

Lelouch just stood by as Suzaku raged on.

"You are fucking demented you know that?! You kill so many people, turn the world upside down, and now at the height of it, you try and stick me with this kind of shit?! It's bad enough that I have to go through with this, but now you are seriously making things more complicated than it needs to be! Do you have any idea of what I am feeling right now?!"

"I don't expect you to not understand, only that you would give me my last wish."

Suzaku was infuriated. "That doesn't surprise me! It has always been about you. You will give the world a future, you will cause more bloodshed, you will become a devil if need be; I can't believe that I even followed you! Do you even care about what others feel?"

Lelouch scratched his head. "Of course I do."

"It doesn't seem like that to me!" Suzaku's rage just kept flowing on as he continued.

"What about the friends you have? What do you think they will see? Or what about Nunnally; don't you care about her feelings as well? If you die, then she will be saddened. If you die, your friends will feel grief. When you are dead, your name will be the very definition of evil! No one will be able to speak of you in kindness! Do you even care one bit about the consequences of your actions?!"

Lelouch began to clench his hands in frustration towards Suzaku.

"Answer me Lelouch!"

"Of course I do!" Lelouch's voice rang louder than Suzaku's, causing his own anger to surge up. "It is hard for me to do this as well! I have already realized the possible outcomes of my own actions. I know that there are still uncertain things that could happen. I know that my former friends will not look at it like I have. I even know that my death will also affect Nunnally. What is worse is that I will be dead! I will have died and left everyone in the process, including Nunnally, C.C., and you!"

Suzaku, despite his overwhelming rage, was amazed at the mentioning of his name.

"I will have betrayed everyone once more with this plan. I know that my name can no longer be redeemed, but that is the price I have accepted entirely. If I live in the next, or even this world, I can no longer have peace to call my own. You already know what it is like to have no identity anymore; that is why I am giving you the identity of Zero, the hero of justice. You are no longer able to live as Suzaku Kururugi, like I am no longer able to live as Lelouch Lamperouge, nor as Lelouch vi Britannia. Where you are dead to the world by name, I will be dead entirely!"

For a long time, the two stood in silence, the hum of the hologram increasingly more apparent than their own breath. The two gazed at each other, wondering how messed up they really were. Suzaku shook his head while Lelouch stood upright. The tension was still hanging in the air, but they passed it off as much as they could.

"Please continue with the plan, your majesty."

Lelouch felt slightly amazed that Suzaku was asking him to give him the final parts to the plan. He turned back to the hologram.

"After you have retrieved my body, I want you to head back to the planes using the main road. Now, a vehicle will follow you at a certain point. It will be Jeremiah driving the vehicle. Hand him my body and explain what I have just told you. When you arrive at the previous destination point, I want you to board the main jet, which is mine. Once there, you and Jeremiah will leave to Kaminejima; the coordinates will have been programmed into the flight path. Once there, you will meet up with C.C. and from then on, you are free to do whatever you want."

Lelouch turned to face Suzaku, who was still a bit discomforted by the plan.

"What should I do afterwards?"

"If I had to guess, I suggest freeing the rest of the prisoners in the palace first. From then on, when the world settles down, I want you to be there to make sure peace is attained."

"How do I do that?"

Lelouch shook his head. "That is for you to figure out. I cannot make all of the decisions."

"You might as well have" Suzaku stated under his breath.

"Are we clear?"

Suzaku did not look back at Lelouch for a while, silently contemplating the plan. Lelouch had pressed the last button and soon the hologram disappeared, a small notice appearing stating that the data of the plan was successfully deleted.

"Lelouch?"

Lelouch turned toward Suzaku as the console disappeared. He didn't answer back, but Suzaku had looked him in the eye and told him firmly that which was on his mind.

"Can you tell me why you are doing this?"

"I already told you why" Lelouch stated flatly.

"I know, but I just have to know one last thing as to why you are who you are."

Lelouch paused. One part of him knew that he had been clear about everything, but another part of his mind knew what Suzaku was trying to get at. Lelouch heaved a sigh and spoke.

"I am a selfish person after all."

Suzaku raised his head toward Lelouch.

"All I wanted was to see people happy; to see Nunnally happy again, to see you smile for us again. I wanted to grant the wishes of others so that they could be happy."

"Even if it meant losing yours?" Suzaku questioned.

"Yes. I had wanted to destroy Britannia for making Nunnally sad, for subjugating the world, and for separating everyone from their loved ones, including you and me. But I knew that to do so, many methods had to be taken. And though mine have been the most successful, they were also the most heartless of all. I ended up taking away the happiness of others, whether it was on purpose or by accident. I had destroyed many of the things I held dear; Shirley, Mother, Rolo, and many others.

"I even destroyed Euphemia."

Suzaku froze when he mentioned Euphemia.

"I took away your happiness in turn, as well as Nunnally's and Nina's. They both loved her, and so did I, like you. You may have betrayed your people, but I betrayed the world."

Lelouch began to laugh sadly at himself.

"Maybe I hated the fact that there were people who were able to be happy more than I could. Because I had driven everyone away with my own disdain, I was not able to let myself feel happiness. As you know, my father told me that I was dead from the beginning, right?"

Suzaku nodded.

"I think that what he said may have affected me so much so that I couldn't even feel totally happy when you entered my life. I've personally let myself be engulf with vengeance that I bottled everything that I felt, even though I displayed the feeling so well. When I had learned that you killed your father, I had figured that you were putting up the same front that I was doing, so I decided that I would protect what I could, you included. Even if it meant forfeiting my life for it. But I was still selfish by choosing to live through despicable means, manipulating the facts to ensure success and survival, until I could take down my father."

Lelouch heaved another sigh.

"That was until I figured out that my life meant nothing. It was the understanding of C's World that God is nothing but a mask that hides so many more masks, that we are all one in the same on a metaphysical level. But to realize that means to realize that humanity is already controlled by a higher being. In a sense, we are still not unique and different. This truth should not be found out. For if it does become known, everything will have been for naught. It is a secret only known to you, C.C., and me. Just like my plan, this must not reach any other human.

"Deep down, humans want to have been known in this world. Wouldn't you agree?"

Suzaku nodded.

"Then let me ask you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

Lelouch paused, trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

"I want you, if only you, to acknowledge my existence in this world." He saw the confusion in his friend's eyes. "You will forget one day, and maybe the rest of the world. The name Lelouch may no longer bring back happy memories, but at least promise me this. I want you to remember my name for as long as it is possible. Remember me not only for what I am now, but for what I was back then."

Suzaku could see a hint of desperation in his best friend's eyes. It was the final hint of how human Lelouch really was in the end, and how, Suzaku thought, he did not deserve the punishment he would place upon himself.

"I will" he firmly replied.

"Promise me that you will keep the world at peace."

"I solemnly swear to that."

"On that day, promise me that you will carry out your duties. Promise me that you will retrieve my body from anyone's hands. For if the people have the chance to lay their hands upon me, they will surely take vengeance and rip me to shreds. You cannot let anyone do that, especially if it is in front of Nunnally."

Suzaku could feel tears welling up in his eyes. "I swear that I will uphold your orders."

"And please, promise me that you will live on, even if things are harsh. Live on for the sake of the world."

Suzaku felt the tears spilling from his eyes. "Yes, your majesty" he stated loudly. Though his vision was blurred by tears, he could vividly see the sad smile upon Lelouch's face. The mask of Zero soon fell onto the floor, rolling facedown behind Suzaku.

Lelouch nodded toward Suzaku, eyes now darkened by the disappearance of the last rays of the sun.

"Thank you, my friend."

They inched forward, toward each other. Slowly, they lifted their arms and found them around the other. They cried in silence, only muffled sound passing through their gritted teeth and shut mouths.

In the ever present stillness of the atmosphere, the sounds of their masks breaking became all the more evident.

And for a small moment, amidst the sorrow of the two friends, they understood what it meant to be human again.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Darn it, I never expected this to be so emotional during the end. But I guess I was struck with such inspiration from the story being so close to its dramatic end. Oh well, hopefully it wasn't so heart-wrenching that it put off a few readers. In any case, this is by far the second longest chapter of the story. What I was going for was a farewell to Suzaku from Lelouch. This being that it would be the last time they would show emotion to each other and anyone else in the story, mostly for Suzaku. Lelouch still has one more person to confront before the epic finale. Now, as for the final step, I will get into that in the chapters to come. So please be patient and don't rip my head off for anything implied. Know this, you have to understand the final moments of life to understand why I had them talking like this. Desperation is just one of the aspects of death that I personally have seen. But enough about it, as like before, comments and reviews are greatly appreciated. If I left anything out, I'm sorry. I just wanted to get the inspiration into this chapter. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with my story. It would not be this big if it weren't for all of you, as well as for me. Thanks again.


	19. Author's Note

Author's Comment: Reason for changing title

Okay, I'm pretty sure that most of you, my followers, have all noticed, by now, that I've changed the title from Lost Time to DC al coda. Now, though I haven't really seen any complaints about it, I had recently received one that needed my attention.

Here is the reason, or explanation for the title change:

After much time appreciating the original title, which was Two Months, I figured it was time for a change; in doing so, I came up with the previous and possibly popular title, Lost Time. I was trying to make it so that the content matched the title, being that I was explaining the time skips in the story, the most ambiguous things that could use some exploiting.

Two Months seemed too short, especially when dealing with the actual time skips of the story. Lost Time made perfect sense due to the amount of time actually omitted, though at certain moments, it felt too…generic. Plus, it somewhat reminded me of my other stories that flopped overall.

So with much thought, and possibly some sorrow, I decided to change the title.

Now why DC al coda?

Well, I had wondered that myself. Being that I am also musically adept in piano (no joke, and I'm sorry if this seems a bit egotistical), I always had a thing for the creativity that went into naming songs and rules for music in general. DC al coda is a term meaning to stop at one musical measure, repeat previous measures up to a certain point, and then skip ahead to the ending measures.

This clearly makes sense; the beginning of the story was the abrupt stop, the middle is the repeated measures (ironically that it would be the hidden or obscure stages of the whole story), and the end will be just like the ending measures, just beyond the ending of the story itself.

Plus, I've always wanted to make titles a bit obscure myself.

I hope that this explains to you the reason why my story is now called Code Geass: DC al coda. If you have anymore questions or want to comment this little note, it would be appreciated as always. Though it is also okay if you don't reply to this too; I'm not looking for more reviews just because I wrote this short explanation. Thank you all and don't worry, the next chapter of the story is coming along soon.

Thank you again.


	20. My Beautiful, Green Witch

Nighttime had enshrouded the palace, though it was only about close to 8:30 from the looks on the clocks that adorned the various walls of the giant sanctum. Silence now had begun to creep into the hallways of the castle, leaking a blanket of stillness upon the rooms and all who inhabited it. Though, the people, mainly the prisoners, may have been quiet all along considering that the time of reckoning was just two days away.

Soft footsteps became apparent from the main throne room. A figure walked in the shine of the twilight; Lelouch, eyes somewhat bloodshot and face so sullen that it would have been thought that he was a specter haunting the castle itself. In a way, that might've been true on some levels.

He wiped the remaining tears away from his eyes and cleared his throat of the withheld sobs that stayed within.

'_This is good' _he thought to himself. _'I think that talking with Suzaku about this was the biggest hurdle of all.'_ Comparatively, it was indeed on of the biggest hurdles he had to face before going on with the final plan of the Zero Requiem. He smirked. _'I probably look like a mess now thanks to all of that.' _

Passing down another corridor, Lelouch thought back to his conversation with Suzaku. He figured that he might've been a bit over dramatic at times, but he knew that it was all truthful and real.

'_Heh, I should have gone to acting school at some point in my life.' _He admittedly smiled to himself. _'If I do look back, most of my plans involved so much flare that it probably would have been thought of as like watching a play.' _Lelouch thanked his refinement for his acting skills. Of course, he also knew that acting was like lying; where one wears a false persona to inspire others, all the while harboring the truth below the makeup. He shared a laugh between himself and his mind. He figured that if he were to judge his actions, he'd call it a successful facade to hide his true nature.

He had to have a laugh at himself some point in his life, he weakly accepted mentally.

As he strode across another corridor, he had noticed the glass wall separating him from the outside. After passing by a few windows, he couldn't help but to stop and gaze at the scenery. He remembered times when he stood awake at night and gazed out far beyond the horizon despite the looming darkness of dusk. At this point though, he knew how much he appreciated the soft shine of the moon over the earth. At times, he would stare at the moon, other times he gazed down at the ground below, and then at times he let his mind wander with his vision, allowing himself to be lured into the nightfall of the sky.

A moment passed and soon his eyes became aware of something in the distance. A slender figure of a person gliding across the gravel pathway, the moonlight reflecting off the white garments the person had adorned. Intrigued by the sight, Lelouch immediately looked for a way out of the palace, attempting to follow the figure in the distance to see where it would go.

Once outside, Lelouch had already known where the figure had been. His mind had been sharp enough to memorize the layout of the mountainside and the path that the figure walked. Though the unexpected factor was that the trail was far longer than he perceived, Lelouch braved the travel despite his own weak physical prowess and stamina.

He followed down the trail for what seemed like hours, when in fact it was only close to an hour or so, until he had come upon a sight he had not taken the time to see; a small building. When Lelouch approached closer, his eyes adjusted to the amount of light that had shined down upon the building. He vividly saw the structure; walls made of stone, stained glass windows, a tower with what had to be a bell inside, and a more revealing silhouette of a cross upon the top of the tower.

"A church?" Lelouch asked himself as he gazed at the wooden cross. It was a rare sight indeed; a less modern yet functional church within a forest. Lelouch had known that some had existed previously in history, but he never thought he would come across one that was not in a textbook, nor on television.

Lelouch approached it further and found that the wooden doors, plain and worn out in appearance, were shut. Though, a crack had been visible just between the two doors, adjacent to the locks. Lelouch peered through the small yet adequate hole and saw the same figure from before. This time though, the outline of the person was bathed in moonlight, and soon Lelouch was able to see who the person was. Much to his surprise, as if just astounded by the irony, it was C.C. who had been the figure.

'_C.C.?' _he thought to himself, chuckling mentally at the sight, but was more intrigued by her actions.

C.C. was kneeling down before the altar; Lelouch had perceived her to be praying. Indeed she was, much to his assumption. The doors weren't the only things between them. There had been a period of silence between them; no, rather, it was more like a period of tranquil peace that had kept Lelouch from barging into the church. He pondered the events that had been leading up to this moment.

Although they knew the true face of God, it would seem futile to try and pray for anything when they knew that it would not be granted. Given that, Lelouch felt that it seemed slightly illogical that he would see C.C. praying at all, and even more unbelievable that she should pray in an abandoned church. And yet, he did not barge in and interrupt her while she was praying. A part of his mind had compelled him to stay in his place; however, there was another part of his mind that told him to talk to her at that moment.

He had to act now; for even he knew that time was running short for him. So, he pushed the doors with his hands, both swinging open softly yet, due to the aging of the doors and its hinges, not as quietly as he thought.

C.C.'s head turned towards the sound. Her eyes displayed the present feeling of astonishment that someone had followed her to the church. She felt even more surprised since it was Lelouch. Though for a moment she was stunned, the next moment, as if instantly and secretly expecting him, C.C. rose slowly and turned toward his presence.

Lelouch met her gaze with his own, and in a way he gazed back, as if intently. He had seen her, many times in fact, just bathed in the glow of the moon, but unlike those moments, he had noticed something quite different about her. Or maybe, he had felt something different about himself instead of C.C. In any case, he had started to move towards her, slowly shifting his eyes towards every corner of the interior, amazed at the radiant pictures of martyrs and saints that were a part of the windows.

"I've never seen such a thing" stated Lelouch as he approached C.C. more slowly than usual. "These are quite enjoyable to look at."

C.C. felt slightly uncomfortable that Lelouch had been astounded by the pictures depicted in the glass. To her, it never occurred that Lelouch may have had a bit of amazement since his rule began.

"Yes, they are a sight to see" Lelouch continued, soon turning his gaze towards C.C. again.

"But not like the sight that is in front of me now."

In a way, C.C. knew that Lelouch had been talking about her.

"Is it really that amazing Lelouch?" C.C. humored Lelouch with a reply, inadvertently, or rather deceptively trying to direct his words to something that was not her.

But Lelouch had known better, and so did C.C. As Lelouch ceased his steps, he had stopped himself just a few feet away from her, a small, clever smirk ever present upon his face.

"Indeed C.C., it is a sight to behold, and yet one that I never thought would happen in my lifetime."

C.C. mentally flinched when Lelouch brought up the word. The subject was still a bit sensitive to her, but she had come to terms with it for the most part.

Lelouch gazed at her even more firmly than before, making her feel all the more uncomfortable.

"What is it that you want Lelouch?" C.C. asked, clearing the tension that she felt from his presence.

Lelouch moved his hand toward the hem of his imperial cape and softly threw it upon the pew next to him.

"I came to talk with you."

C.C. grinned with a slight sneering attitude. "Oh, is that all?"

Lelouch nodded.

"Of course, you did interrupt my private time, so it doesn't matter now."

Lelouch grinned back at her. "You truly are a witch aren't you?"

"The one and only" she retorted back. She was surprised to hear a small laugh escaping from Lelouch's mouth.

"You are one of a kind, C.C. But I guess that is what makes you what you are."

C.C. found it heartwarming, yet slightly annoying that Lelouch would say something of that caliber.

After some time of silence, C.C. spoke out again.

"Why are you here?" _'As if I have to ask'_ she mentally stated.

Lelouch knew that C.C. was being serious now, and so he made himself just as stern.

"I have already planned the final step to the Zero Requiem."

C.C. winced at the mentioning of his plans, which had also been a slight discomforting topic to her. But she put up a brave front for Lelouch.

"I see" was all she could reply with.

Lelouch had begun to grimace slightly. It wasn't as easy as he thought it was when in front of his long time accomplice.

"And have you come to hand me my duties in the Zero Requiem?"

Lelouch froze in his place, something that even C.C. had noticed. She knew that he was the creator of the plan, yet was surprised to see him in a way.

"I have" he stated flatly. "Though you have been on the sidelines most of the time, I am now going to give you your part in my plan."

"Great…I feel so privileged" C.C. stated a bit mockingly, knowing that his plan would ruin anyone involved.

Lelouch scoffed in recognition. "Indeed you may, but let's be serious now."

"Weren't we already?"

"Not a moment ago, but never mind. Now listen, C.C." Lelouch breathed in and heaved an elated sigh.

"I have already stated that my life will end by month's end. Now, I already have relayed the duties to both Jeremiah and Suzaku, and one other."

C.C. had looked confused when Lelouch mentioned one more person. "Might I ask who that 'other' is?"

"That person is Milly."

C.C. looked very much surprised now.

"But her part is only that of a bystander, nothing compared to Suzaku's, Jeremiah's, or even your part. In a way, she is still just like the others; with no sense of where things will go."

"Okay, for a minute their, I thought you had included one behind our backs" C.C. stated somewhat glad to hear that no one else except her and the other two were of any importance. But somewhere deep inside her soul, C.C. felt happy to be the only girl in on the plot.

"Moving on, Suzaku and Jeremiah will be at the execution. Jeremiah will still be a part of the Britannian army, but Suzaku will play the biggest role; Zero."

Astonished, C.C. shook her head at Lelouch.

"You're making him Zero?"

"Yeah, I know, he didn't believe it either, but yes he will be playing as Zero. His part…"

Lelouch paused once more as C.C. gazed in confusion as to why he abruptly stopped.

"Suzaku's part; no, Zero's part is to be my killer."

Lelouch saw the same look that C.C. had, which was similar to Suzaku's when he had heard the role that he was to play. C.C. soon shook the disbelief from her face and motioned for Lelouch to carry on.

"Jeremiah will try to stop Zero, but will fail and allow Zero to kill me. Afterwards, Jeremiah will order the troops to retreat, and will then retreat himself. As for Zero, he will disappear from the crowd and will meet with Jeremiah moments later."

"Why would you want him to do that?"

"Because Zero, Suzaku, will be leaving with Jeremiah, after having obtained an important item."

C.C. could already feel the dread engulfing her.

"What is this important item?"

Lelouch raised his finger and pointed it towards the last place C.C. expected it.

"Me."

Lelouch could already see the grim fear in her golden eyes.

For C.C., she knew that she would regret asking the question, but sheer curiosity compelled her before logic could stop her from doing so.

"I know, it is a selfish and highly unorthodox thing, but I want them to retreat with my body in-tow. When they have obtained my body, they will retreat to the landing zone where the procession will be prepared. They will board my plane and head for Kaminejima."

"And what will that accomplish?"

"That is where you come in C.C."

"Me?" C.C.'s voice was filled with worry when Lelouch finally mentioned her name.

"Yes, I want you to wait for them at Kaminejima. When they arrive, explain to them what I am giving to you now. Tell them that I requested you to take my body and that they can either stay until the end, or to leave and move on with their lives."

"What is this 'end' you are speaking of?" Her question made Lelouch freeze for a moment. His gaze, she noticed, was fixed as if he were gazing at something that was not there. For a few moments it was like that, and then Lelouch's eyes slowly dimmed, shadowed by his front bangs.

C.C. braced herself instantly as her eyes soon met with his once more.

"I am talking about my own; which involves you sending me to my final resting place."

"And that would be where?" For a moment, C.C. silenced herself and thought about his words. Then it clicked.

"You are talking about C's World aren't you?"

Lelouch nodded.

"It is a place where no one can reach me; a place where no burials are needed and no funeral procession is evident. If I had to have a resting place, then I would want it in a place where I would not be found, a place where no one can defile my grave nor disturb me from my sleep just to rip me to shreds, a place to find tranquility in death and solitude, a place that no one can access." Lelouch began to laugh to himself for a moment before speaking again. "I at least deserve to be alone with no one around when I am laid to rest."

C.C. was truly amazed at how Lelouch had still thought so little of himself despite being so infamously known.

"You do realize that this is a selfish request and that I cannot, in my right mind, agree to such terms…"

"I know."

C.C. gazed at Lelouch. She analyzed his demeanor and found that he still had regret in his soul. His eyes were darker than any time before, even when he had believed that Nunnally was dead. His face was more sullen than ever; his cheeks now devoid of vibrant colors, a near death-like appearance overall. She had now seen him in an even more desolate light, one that she could barely stand. Her mind had screamed to punish him and to bring him back to his senses like before. Her heart, the feelings she tried to deny all her life had threatened to burst forth, breaking down walls upon walls of emotional protection and compelling her to act human for once. But her body would not respond to these pleas; rather, she could no longer find the strength to do so. Inevitably, she could only do so much for him now as he could do for her.

"But I will consent to your terms Lelouch."

At first, she didn't expect Lelouch to be by her agreeing to his demands, but by now, she really couldn't expect anything to go like she thought. Lelouch had smiled nonetheless when she agreed, and in a way, C.C. felt both happy and sad for the both of them.

"Thank you C.C." he stated. "I will be eternally grateful to you."

"You're saying it like it meant something now" she retorted.

"I genuinely mean it when I say it."

C.C. sighed. "You never cease to amaze me Lelouch."

"Really?" he said a bit sarcastically.

"Never have I seen such a plan to unfold before my eyes, despite living through the history of modern humans. In the past, I have made many contracts to those wishing for power."

Lelouch shrugged. "I probably can imagine it."

"Of course, they never gained much until they utilized geass to their extent. And yet each one fell by their own hands. Others were killed, and some have died with nothing left but dwindling time. But this is the first time I've ever seen something this grand."

Lelouch swayed his hand back and forth in front of him. "It's nothing to be that amazed over." The evidence of modesty was present in his voice, despite him knowing that the plan was indeed on an epic scale. Somehow, knowing this quieted his demeanor and brought the two back to the real world.

"Of course, no one could have ever been so outlandish and selfless like you."

Lelouch smirked. "I've only done what I thought was just, but in a way, I became unjust trying to create this world."

"Indeed, but it was a much fiercer ambition than either Marianne or Charles." The mentioning of Lelouch's parents quickly silenced the two. Their gazes began to move away from each other as the atmosphere grew tense with an awkward silence. For a time, C.C. was at a loss. Bringing up Charles and Marianne in front of Lelouch was never a good thing. But this time, Lelouch was left a bit drained when he heard their names.

"C.C.?"

"Yes Lelouch?"

"Could you…Could you tell me what my parents were like before?"

This really surprised C.C. for a good time. At first, she did not know what to make of the request. But then she caught a glimpse of interest that had been noticeable in Lelouch's eyes. Shrugging the tension off, she indulged Lelouch with memories of when his parents were very different.

"Back when they were alive, I was but a humble wanderer. I roamed the countryside of Britannia just gazing at the scenery when I stumbled upon a woman, Marianne. She was still Marianne Lamperouge at the time and a bit younger than what she was as a noble. Spunky and strong-willed, she and I became friends quite quickly, even if she was the one to start off. I lived with her for some time, sharing ambitions and experiences, and soon I made a contract with her. I originally thought that I had found another chance to grant my wish for death, but then Marianne and Charles met. Charles was smitten with her and she played hard to get most of the times. Months went by and soon, the prince of Britannia, Charles, wedded his fifth bride, and by far, the only genuine love that he had. They shared many interests and soon their goals were one in the same. She became a Knight of the Rounds and helped to install Charles as the 98th Emperor of Britannia. All the while I watched from the sidelines, and unlike V.V., I never really got jealous of their relationship. I had figured out that he wasn't only jealous; he had also loved Marianne like Charles. Though she had less time for me, I was always likely to be called to take care of you and Nunnally when you were just babies."

C.C. saw Lelouch's surprised look and smiled. She figured that he could not remember due to infantile amnesia, early years that aren't remembered when kids grow up from age three.

"Marianne loved you two, but there were times that I had felt like a babysitter, being stuck with you two while Marianne went to the courts with Charles. Charles was idealistic in his youth, and as you may know, he and V.V. had been partners since they were young, promising to never lie and to destroy the lies of the world just to bring peace to their troubled souls. Marianne understood this and agreed.

"Though Charles was always headstrong and fierce, he did indeed meet you two when you were just babies. I would only see him a couple of times with you in his hands, but those moments may have been the only times he ever acted like a father. Of course, you must also know that by the time you were able to think cognitively, he had become the emperor."

"Fatherly duties never came above royal status" Lelouch interjected.

C.C. nodded. "It is a sad way to put it. But he was not completely inhuman, nor was Marianne. They truly believed that what they would accomplish would create a better world, whether it was for them or for anyone. As I said, sometimes when you love someone you tend to push them away."

"That's a sad truth even on itself" Lelouch quietly stated.

"I am not asking that you forgive them, but to acknowledge that they were your parents despite their cruel intentions."

Lelouch looked at C.C. "Is that a plea?"

"No, it is just a revelation that you must know about them from me."

Lelouch scratched his head. "Fine, I guess." In that moment, Lelouch had fixed his gaze upon the wooden cross behind C.C. From the shifting shadows, Lelouch figured that the sky was beginning to grow blacker than before, a sign that the light was disappearing.

"Where do you think they are now C.C.?"

C.C. tilted her head in slight confusion. "They?"

"My parents" Lelouch answered back. "If you didn't know the circumstances, where would they be now?"

For a while C.C. pondered what Lelouch had meant. Of course, with the knowledge of what God was, she felt even more confused as to why Lelouch would ask such a question.

"I don't really have an answer for that Lelouch."

"I see" he sighed. Looking back at C.C., Lelouch had seen the surprised face she was wearing. When he passed his vision over to her eyes, he had found slight evidence of a deep-seeded regret that she had held within her heart. He figured that it was probably because she had betrayed her previous friends when they were nearly completing their plan. Of course, sometimes Lelouch felt a bit of despair for denying his parents, although not as much since he was still pretty angry at them for abandoning him and Nunnally.

His solitude, despite being surrounded by people of whom he cared about, was the only evidence of his existence. Of course thinking about it now seems irrelevant. But then something clicked in his mind, a question he had wanted to ask C.C. for so long. Gathering up his strength, Lelouch broke the silence between him and her.

"I've always wanted to ask you this…"

"What?"

"Well, back when you sent me to C's World, I had seen your past, but not all of it. Can you…indulge me with your life's tale?"

C.C. gazed in amazement at Lelouch. _'What brought this around?'_ she thought to herself. For a moment, her silence had been the only answer.

Lelouch had noticed that C.C. was not speaking. Sighing, he walked in the direction of the door. Turning his head back to C.C., he spoke once more.

"Let's take a walk, shall we?"

C.C., for a few moments, stared at Lelouch as he stuck his hand towards her. In all honesty, she had figured that this was not the real Lelouch, the one she knew for so long. But something about his gesture made her feel more relax, so she took his hand and the two began to walk, leaving the church behind them.

"Where are we going Lelouch?"

Lelouch smiled back at C.C. "Does it matter?"

Seeing Lelouch snicker made C.C. feel a strange mixture of nervousness and excitement. Noticeably, the trees that they had passed through began to slowly disappear. Her mind had noticed that the path they walked was not towards the palace. C.C. wondered if Lelouch wasn't purposely going off track, but knowing him, he'd always acted in ways that never failed to surprise her. For an hour the two continued to walk, going up and down the path that Lelouch had walked. C.C. could only observe Lelouch from the side of her eye, only able to see a glimpse of a small smile that had been on his face.

C.C. knew that look; rather, she could remember similar gazes like the one Lelouch had worn. She knew what it had meant, and knew that it was blasphemous to have been happy for such a look to appear. Yes, she remembered such content faces before, and only on one rare, specific occasion do these visages ever show up; before an imminent end. It puzzled her to think of how Lelouch could have such a face now despite his actions as of recently. But then of course she had only to remember the lengths to which he had told her he would change the world that she would understand his position. She knew that most normal young adults would not have that same visage even in the face of death. But then she could only remember how Lelouch was years ago that she would abandon normal thought.

And so, as they walked, C.C. answered to Lelouch's previous call.

"Lelouch, I do believe that you deserve to know the 'me' that I used to be" she started as innocently as possible.

"I was but an orphan, abandoned upon a small hut. Back then there was never an orphanage for such kids like me. The people who raised me treated me like an outcast. They were cruel, but not as cruel as the various masters I had to serve when I was but a young girl. I was many things; a servant mostly, cleaning floors, tending to cooking, and sometimes even more dreadful things that I cannot say. But one day, while attending to my regular duties, the place was attacked by rebels; farmers and peasants alike. I escaped by breaking the chain that bound my foot and fled the place. While I was running, I saw many horrible acts against humans; torture and then death. Exhausted, I collapsed on the ground, far away from the village.

"I did eventually get back up and walked a long way down the road, until I found a church."

"I see, and this church wouldn't happen to be the same one where you met that nun is it?"

C.C. nodded. "She was my first friend, or rather more like a mother figure to me. She gave me the geass "to be loved". I used it so much that I had become sick of it when I was older."

"Yes, I know."

"She ended up giving her code to me and beat me 'til I could feel death. I woke up to the sight of dried blood around me and the nun dead in front of me. I fled and never returned. I had lived through the years, under heavy persecution and giving out many failed contracts. None of the people I had encountered could ever achieve the level high enough to take my place. I have tried commoners, royalty, military personnel, even rulers as well, and all ended with nothing to show for it. That's when I met Marianne. And though she couldn't get to replace me either, she had shown me what it was like to be cared for, and to care. When she died, I knew that I never could find another one to take my place."

A long pause came from C.C. as the two walked into a wide open area. The scenery was spectacular even with such little light shining down upon it. The sky was beginning to radiate a blue hue, deeper than the dusk, but gentle like the approaching dawn.

"Here" said Lelouch as he pointed to a ledge not that far from them. "I want to show you this."

C.C. approached the ledge and gazed into the ether of the early morning. Down below was the flat land that had been right near the shoreline. Though up high, C.C. could still hear the scarce sound of waves crashing back and forth.

C.C. smirked. "How corny Lelouch."

"What? Can't I at least do something like this once in my life?" he complained jokingly.

"But you have done it a few times."

"How do you know?"

"Because…" C.C. paused again. She had held back the information for a while before spilling it. "Because I had seen you do so."

Lelouch felt shocked. "You're lying."

"No, I am telling the truth. I've seen it a couple of times; you and Suzaku, you and Nunnally…"

Lelouch had never thought that C.C. would say such a thing, despite it being true.

"Exactly how did you know?"

"Well…" C.C. started. "I have never told you this, but I have been watching you for most of your life."

"What?!" Lelouch immediately felt stunned.

"Yes, I had been watching you grow up as a boy. You have never noticed me before, nor did I let you see me. Of course if you don't believe me, then that is your decision. As to why I did it, it was because you were Marianne's child. I had taken care of you when you were a baby too. I always watched from the shadows, even when you were exiled to Japan."

To Lelouch, what C.C. said had initially been hard to digest. He could not believe that C.C. had been actually keeping an eye on him. Although, he did at times feel like someone had been watching him from afar, he never thought it was true.

"What do you think of that Lelouch?"

"I-I…" Lelouch scoffed in amazement. "First off, thanks for the paranoia."

C.C. laughed.

"Second, it sounds weird."

C.C. laughed again.

"But I think most of all, I'm…kinda…glad."

"What?"

Lelouch grinned. "I'm kinda glad that you were looking out for me. I really appreciate the gesture."

C.C. shook her head. "You must be joking."

"Nope, I'm not kidding." Lelouch smiled. "Thanks."

C.C. felt baffled by Lelouch's demeanor. Of course, what good was it to argue now?

"You're welcome Lelouch" she replied.

The skies were becoming lighter, the dusk clouds now blackened by the deep blue sky. Lelouch heaved a breath and took a seat upon the ledge. Patting the ground, he motioned for C.C. to join him. Knowing this, C.C. happily accepted the offer and sat beside Lelouch. Her shoulder had been close to his, millimeters shy of touching. The soft wind picked up and the clouds began to move. For a long time, Lelouch and C.C. just sat in silence, watching the dusk retreat with the moon. In her mind, she thought that this is what Lelouch had brought her here for, to try the oldest cliché in the book; watching the sunrise. In a way, she felt happy that he would do something like this for her. She sighed and soon closed the gap between them. The horizon was slowly becoming more orange as the sun began to rise up slowly, still hiding behind the clouds and morning fog.

Lelouch glanced at C.C. and saw something peculiar. He raised his finger and wiped away a small tear from C.C.'s eye. C.C. noticed this and gazed back at Lelouch who had met her gaze with his own. In that moment, Lelouch saw the truth in her eyes; the feelings she had long hid away from the world. All he could do was smile, and with it all of C.C.'s defenses vanished. Having denied her feelings of attachment to the demon king for a long time, she had not been prepared for the day that she would meet someone who could make her feel like a human again. What made it truly sad was the fact that she would once again outlive another life, one that in all aspects was greater than hers. She laid her head upon his shoulder, arms wrapped around his.

"I don't want you to die" she said softly, her body slowly being racked with sorrow.

"C.C…"

"I know that it is a part of your plan, but I can't help but feel this way."

Lelouch could hear her softly sobbing, and began to smooth her hair out.

"This has caused me great suffering too, C.C. But it is for the world that I must die." Lelouch used his free hand and lifted her head to see her face. Tears were very evident now, but her golden eyes still remained as prominent as ever to Lelouch. "And the last thing I would want to do is to make you cry. Now give me a smile."

C.C., fighting back more tears, brushed her eyes and tried to smile for Lelouch. Amazingly, she had done so perfectly.

"Thank you C.C."

Lelouch gazed back at the horizon, and so did C.C. The two of them soon played witnesses to the bright sun shining through the clouds. Lelouch sighed.

"Of all the things I will miss out on; my birthday, the smiles on people's faces, the world becoming gentler, and many other opportunities of life's gifts, I think that the things I would miss the most are my family, my friends, and you."

"I think that I would miss you more than anything really." Lelouch glanced at C.C. and smiled.

"I bet you'd miss pizza more than me." Lelouch laughed, which caused C.C. to join in his laughter.

"I will never find a man like you" C.C. replied after ceasing her giggling.

Lelouch waved her off. "I wouldn't say that. There is a whole new world coming up, so there is no telling what could happen."

"You're right" C.C. sighed. "I just wish that you could enjoy it too."

"Same here" Lelouch stood up and reached out to C.C. "Let's go home."

C.C. nodded and took his hand. Pulling herself up, she brushed herself off. The two turned away from the cliff and had started back to the palace. Their hands softly entwined in each others as they walked.

"Lelouch?" C.C. halted.

"Yes?" Lelouch replied as he turned to face her, but when turning, his lips met with hers. For that small moment, Lelouch and C.C. felt the bit of happiness that came from knowing each other. When they parted, C.C. spoke.

"Could you…" C.C. paused in mid sentence, offering a smile to Lelouch. "Could you say my name one last time?"

Lelouch took a moment to ponder her words, and when the thoughts were calculated, he knew exactly what to say.

"Of course…" Lelouch took a deep breath and soon said her name, one that he had not forgotten, and one that was not a codename; her real name.

A pack of birds soon flew overhead, squawking as to signal the rest of the pack that soon took flight. A gust blew upward as the trees rattled with the movement of the wind. The rustling of small leaves and twigs upon the ground became all the more apparent and the sun had shone its brightest within the tranquil morning. In that moment, the surroundings that the two had been in became more alive than ever.

C.C. once again smiled as she heard her name escape from Lelouch's lips. To her, it was even lovelier than how he said it the first time.

"Thank you, Lelouch" she said and soon the two continued down their own paths; the paths that would lead to an irreversible result for one, but with a better outcome for the other.

* * *

_In the end...I am but an insane person...scorned by a memory I could never let go_

_Heh...if it had to be that way, then I guess I am content...with it_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: And there goes another chapter. It was slightly more light-hearted than the previous chapter, but I hopefully think that I got the point across. Sorry if some parts may have seemed a bit OOC, but please understand what I am trying to do. Not every ending should be left riddled with melodrama and sorrow alone. Sometimes, one must make things end on the lighter-side of the literary spectrum. Now, I wanted this to be more about C.C. than Lelouch, and hopefully I have accomplished that. If not, then the next few chapters will hopefully display all that is needed. If some parts sound a bit fan-serviced, then please let me know. I try to stay away from it, but sometimes it just has to connect the story content. Now, if there are any questions, just please message me. Reviews and comments are once again greatly appreciated. Now that we are near the ending of this story, I would like to notify you all of how grateful I am to have had you read and review my work. Thanks again. Oh, and one more note, I don't know what C.C.'s real name is, nor do I want to put in my own assumption on it. Thank you diverting imagery.


	21. Hail, Hail, The King Is Dead!

'_Ah…' _the demon king mentally sighed slowly delving into his reverie. Visions from the past day come to him. He remembers how he had arranged the floats into the carriers. He vividly remembers his comrades, hard at work preparing for the execution; the first set of prisoners and how he smiles at them one last time as they board the first carrier aircraft; how Jeremiah ordered the soldiers around, setting them into the second carrier plane along with the Knightmare frames and various other vehicles, all the while gazing down upon them; his talk with Suzaku about the sword he had left in the Knightmare frame he was to pilot; how he enjoyed C.C.'s company the night before today; how he went over the last bits of the Zero Requiem to the three, handing them their parts once more; the feast they enjoyed one last time; Suzaku's awe at the re-tailored Zero suit; the final time Lelouch thought about his life. All were precious memories to him, nothing more, and nothing less.

'_I cannot say that life has been good to me, but rather maybe it had been too great for one such as I could bear. But if it is of any consolation, the memories that I have are worth more than this pathetic life.'_

The pain the king feels now constantly breaks him away from his thoughts.

"Le-Lelouch…" says the man in front of him; his killer.

The king's eyes are slowly betraying his mind, for when he takes a glance at his assassin, he sees him as he once was; the arrogant boy whom he met years ago, the one whom caused more torture to him than anyone, his first true friend. But that is not how he is supposed to be. He is not supposed to be that same boy, and neither should the king be as he was before; the banished prince whom shouldered nothing but past aggression, the likes of which created the demon he is now. Or rather, created the demon he was portraying.

The assassin knows it, or rather infers it from his own thoughts. The king, the demon he will have killed, was nothing more than the angel in disguise.

The demon king does not look at it like he does. He knows that he was no longer pure in anyone's eyes, especially in his own.

And from doing so, only one of the two feels regret for everything.

The king knows his body is screaming to his mind. He feels every inch of his body slowly panicking from the sudden realization of the growing pain. A part of his mind urges him fervently to find a way to survive; plug the wound, stop the bleeding, anything to stay alive. In a way, he does want that to happen, but only to have time to feel the last bit of closure from his own affirmation of the acts he had committed.

'_Let me…just remember…a bit more'_ he states to himself. Considerably, his mind does allow the messages to cease. His gasps soon quiet down, the blood only flowing a little bit now. The only thing that doesn't stop is the presence of numbness within his own body, starting from his legs and up to his wound. His mouth begins to move slowly, giving voice to words he must now give to his killer.

"This is…also a punishment for you…"

The king's legs begin to go limp as his head descends next to the shoulders of his assassin; an act that terrifies and intrigues his killer. He can hear the words through the mask he wears, tears not stopping as he pays witness to the last few words that his liege can give.

"You…you will now bear the sin of having only one identity; justice. You will no longer bear the name of Suzaku Kururugi…"

The words are harsh, but truthful. Zero slightly quivers as the king's hand, stained in his own blood, reaches and touches against the side of the mask. He knows that without it, he would be holding his face; his cheek would have been covered in the blood of his friend. He shivers at the notion for a moment, gripping the sword in an iron clasp.

"You will sacrifice your own happiness for the world and its people…forever…"

The killer cannot help but to harden his worn out soul with the command of his king. He is silent, knowing that if he were to let go now, then his friend would be left to his own death. So he holds fast in place, knowing that the more time he spends not moving causes his friend more pain. Time begins to slow significantly, allowing the two more time to reminisce.

The king sighs, his eyes fixed towards the approaching emptiness. He softly smiles once more.

"I am…sorry to have caused you so much pain…"

The assassin hears the soft words and replies. "Don't apologize…"

"No, I have to…for everything that has happened…" The king can give only more gasps. "When I look back at those days…I can't help but…"

Zero sees it; he can see the way the king's hand is trembling softly. He hears it; the voice of the king is becoming fainter. He knows it; death is slowly grasping his beloved friend. Yet all he can do, once again, is stand by as the man in front of him slowly gives himself to death. He knows what it feels like to see such a person die, and for so long he has wished that he would go like that too, before those whom he had cared for, and for those whom he cared about. Sadly that isn't the case anymore, because with this last act of true loyalty, as a follower and friend, he can no longer have that death. For after this, he is needed alive to stand as a symbol of justice, the righteousness that the demon king has so greedily taken away from the world.

"It was all…for her…and her world…then the world itself…"

The king, he notices, is speaking incoherently, drunk on the feelings of satisfaction and morbid pain. He wishes he could cease this senseless act and retreat back to when things weren't so complicated. He wishes that he could say 'stop talking' or that he could tell him that 'everything will be fine'. But he lets his friend continue, hoping that he could silence the shouts from his heart to stop.

"Heh…death is…cruel…" A small cough emerges from the king, but much to Zero's surprise, there is no blood to follow. He figures that the king is still holding on to his life as they speak.

A thought escapes from his mouth. "Don't worry, it will be over soon." It is cold, he knows, but it amazes him that he would let it slip through despite the time. He knows that there are other words he could/want to say to the king, but maybe he wanted to be the one to have the last laugh by speaking in a manner that would surprise anyone.

But the king sees Zero's logic, and can't help but to put on a miniscule smile and chuckle. He feels his body slowly being engulfed in sheer cold; up to where the blow was struck. He sees the many faces of the world once more; awed by a sight they cannot comprehend. He knows it to be true, and so he gathers himself up for one last burst of strength.

"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you…take care of the world…"

"This geass…" states Zero as he begins to readjust his grip once more, tears now blinding his vision. "…I shall accept…"

He sees the king's hand drop away from his face, and in one swift motion, rips the sword from his body. The king senses the sudden jolt of numbness as the sword, that severed his life and spine, is withdrawn. A few droplets of blood, from the tip of the sword, fall onto the platform as the king makes his way forward. Zero moves out of the way, in a manner similar, ironically, to that of a knight and his king.

He notices the sudden loss of his senses; from the beginning he could not smell his triumph, when he was stabbed the last thing he could taste was the bit of blood that was forced upward, the sense of touch soon was lost when the sword pulled away. As it stands, he knows that he has fallen forward, comically tumbling down the slope in a most undignified manner, but he does not feel the pain of his limbs as they hit against the float, nor does he feel the skin from the wound slowly pulling upward, causing a red streak of blood to form halfway down. He knows, however, that he has stopped, but can no longer tell which way is which, only that where he faces is forward. He regretfully smiles at himself and his actions. His sense of hearing stops before his sister, whom he knows is in front of him, can speak the words; though he knows that her mouth is moving. And at last, staring into the sky, as he used to do back when he was younger, his sight begins to darken; colors begin to fade to black and white, the light no longer showing upon him; his vision is lost. His world ends now and nothing but the numb, cold embrace of death awaits the martyred king.

"_I…destroy the world…and…create…them…a-…new…"_

There is a noticeable pause as the air surrounding the area begins to shift. Stunned silence is evident and all that could be heard are the cries of a little girl at the center of it all.

The assassin, Zero, knows what must come next, and so he whips the blood off of the blade and stands triumphantly upon the throne of the now slain king. He sees many things now, but what catches his eyes and pricks his ears are not only the cries of the girl in front of him, but of the clarion call a dissenter bellows from the building beside the procession. This was the turning point of the world, and the ones who have once believed the demon king now play witness to the effects of the plan.

In an instant, the world is filled with joy and celebration, mixed with frantic disbelief of the event that had taken place. People shout and rejoice as they rush the scene, feeling freedom once more from the hands of a tyrant.

All the while, Zero gazes onward, toward some unknown source, hoping that within this happy chaos, no one would suspect that it was a plan. He does not pay attention to the prisoners, though he has seen their faces. Disbelief was ever present upon them, but being too far from them, doesn't know what it really means. He can guess the assumptions, but that is all he can do, and allow.

The Orange Knight, the second follower of the demon king, glances at the crowds. He quickly glances back at the throne and sees Zero still standing. He knows what must be done as well, and so he continues with his part. Raising his hand to his ear, he gives the orders that his master gave him.

"All units retreat. We must withdraw now!"

Most of the soldiers hear the order, but only a few even follow it. Those who do, including the ones who've abandoned their Knightmare Frames, can only withdraw so far before the spell of the king wears off. Most, if not all in total, of the soldiers begin to scatter about, leaving the area immediately.

The Orange Knight however does not mind that they do so, and retreats in turn.

Zero sees this and waits. He must wait now until the last condition is accomplished. And when it comes, it comes down hard. The chants of the people ring in his ears as he looks forward at the sky.

"Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"

These shouts for the savior shake him to his core, searing into his flesh the irremovable truth of his deeds. It is only made more devastating as the cries of the girl become just as loud. But he knows that he must bear it all one last time, before executing his final order.

With the Orange Knight gone, and the chants continuing, the conditions have been met. _'It is time for me to withdraw from the area'_ he states to himself. The crowd is stunned when they see Zero running from the scene, but they pay no mind to halt his path. They try to gather and praise him as he runs, but he does not allow them to catch up; rather, he cannot do so. He clears half a mile without any fatigue; he has none to feel as his senses numb to what must happen next. Far beyond the sight of any civilian, Zero turns a corner and sees his target; his Knightmare Frame.

It doesn't take him long until he is piloting the machine. He surveys the area once more, using the various cameras and sensors of the suit to detect any signs of life; none have been found. He mentally sighs and thinks it impossible for any one to match his own speed a few moments ago, feeling slightly grateful at his own boastful intent. But shaking it off, he grips the controls and begins the final part of the plan.

Down the path, Zero sees evidence of life once more; the crowd has dispersed slightly after some time. Surprisingly, as he reaches the heart of the procession, Zero sees that most of the prisoners have been freed, including his former cousin, his sensei, and the only pilot who could match him in combat. He sees that they are unbounded, limbs free to move; however, their faces still show disbelief at the sight of one Knightmare coming towards them. Zero shifts his view towards the main float. In a surprising display, two people were upon the float; the dissenter and the little girl, whom had been upon the body of the king for some time, grieving. The Knightmare slows to a stop right beside the two.

He is at a moral crossroad now; whether to obey his liege and retrieve the body, forcibly taking it away from the girl, or to betray his king once more just to allow her some time to grieve her loss. His heart is torn by the decision, but his brain knows of the answer. Logically, he notes that the longer he stays the more chances he will be discovered under the hood. Of course, he wants to no longer cause pain to any person, especially to one that he has known for so long.

However, it is only because of the realization that he is no longer Suzaku Kururugi that he must drive forward with his part. He is dead to the world, so why should he conflict orders with old emotions?

His mind clears away the doubt and fear that was present, and raises his free arm and moves it towards the two. He remembers the reaction in total; the dissenter notices his presence and, presumably fearing the worst, lunges towards the girl. Her arm is grasped around the girl's waist as she pulls her away. Zero doesn't see the girl's face; he cannot look at her as he does what he had been instructed to do. All he can see is the frail little hand, which had grasped his liege's own hand, being wrought from its hold as the two pull away from the danger that might have been. But the danger does not come, for the hand had not come for them, but for the king. Zero had taken his friend's body into his grasp and for a moment, could only gaze at the sin he had committed. He takes no time to glance around at the people below and soon, with nothing left but an empty feeling of victory and shame, heads down the final path to which his friend will be taken to.

He does not see how this act affects the people around him. He is blind to their reactions, but he figures how it may be, which makes the feelings a bit more grave. All he can see is the goal that he had been instructed to reach.

Zero knows that what has happened may have been the vainest act committed not only from his friend, but of the people. He sees them cheering the Knightmare on, as if thinking that it will do the deed they so willingly want to commit. They sneer and hiss at the dead king even now, he assumes. But he cannot stop his advance, for he has one job left to do before resigning himself to his liege's final command.

Halfway to the destination, with no one around, Zero sees a small, open-top jeep fast approaching to the his side. He does not need to glance at the jeep to know who had been driving. As the top of the Knightmare opens, he sees the face of the Orange Knight in the driver's seat. The arm that had been holding the body stretched over to the back seat of the jeep, slowly placing the king in the vehicle. Zero then proceeds with the next part of the plan; setting a self-destruction timer upon the Knightmare and leaving with the Orange Knight in the jeep. The two ride off, not minding the shock of the explosion that had gone off a few minutes later.

The two rode in silence for some time, not wanting to distract each other from the objective that they must accomplish. Whilst the Knight drove, Zero could only gaze back at the body of his friend, lying on his back, slightly staining the seats with his blood. It was no surprise that they were silent up until they reached the landing zone where the procession had started; parking the car beside one of the big carriers. Not much to their surprise, the area was vacant, with no life in sight. When the engine stopped, the Orange Knight searched the area one more time; still no sign of life. Signaling Zero, he exited the jeep and moved toward the back seat. With some remorse, he pulled the body of the emperor out carefully as not to spill his blood on the suit. If he were still his old self, he would have taken much better care in respecting his friend.

The Orange Knight, at this time, explored the various carrier crafts, noticing odd switches, peculiarly standing in the open space, that were in each of the cockpits; two in total. This would be the last things the king leaves to him. Collecting them, he ventured towards his master's own private jet. In it, he moved toward a compartment on the side of the interior. When he opened it, his eyes grew wide at the sight of a rectangular coffin; unlike the ones for royalty, which held the royal coat of arms, this one was as plain as any other, only comprised of simple wood. Inside his conscious, it pained him dearly to think that his master would soon be in this mediocre casket, so much so that it made him shed a tear. Wiping the inconvenience away, the Orange Knight had started to wheel the casket out.

Zero had seen him coming into view. Opting to bring some dignity to his friend, he lifted him, one arm under his back and the other supporting behind the knees. He carried him thusly towards the Orange Knight, noticing the box that he must place the king's body in. The Knight pulled the top off and Zero then laid the body, crossing his arms before the cover had been placed. Of course, Zero had taken the king's cape, in exchange for the royal sword, and placed it into the jeep. There was no time to grieve in the open; they knew that it would not help but to worsen their names if they had been discovered.

The Orange Knight and Zero wheeled the casket into the main jet, and with one more scan of the area, they withdrew into it themselves. Zero proceeded to the cockpit and with the knowledge that his friend gave him, charted a course to Kaminejima using the autopilot. The rumble of the engine was evident as the pair took a seat in the chairs provided. Zero gazed out through the front windshield while the knight turned to watch the casket. The door closed and soon the jet was beginning to lift off. The knight began to finger the switches within his left hand. When the jet was safely off the ground, he placed the switches in each hand and with his thumbs, pressed down upon the buttons.

The carrier planes soon exploded into a firestorm, burning brightly as their fuel tanks lit up. The royal cape that Zero had planted in the jeep was set ablaze, flying out of the truck and onto the ground. The pristine material that was ruined with blood now stained with scorch marks and embers. Such big explosions could be seen from far away, but they did not mind. The comrades were flying low, trying to avoid detection. When out at sea, the two heaved a sigh, ones mixed with relief and slight despair that the deed was done. Even on the ride to Kaminejima, they still did not speak, feeling that words no longer meant anything to them. Then again, maybe the two were afraid; fearing that what may come out will not be kind no matter what the context was.

_'Death has that appeal…'_ they think silently.

In half an hour, the jet finally arrived upon the shores of Kaminejima. For the Orange Knight, this place was tragically nostalgic; a turning point in his life that made him who he was now. His partially mechanized body, his failure at the hands of C.C., the last time he would pursue his former liege as an enemy. All of which made him feel slightly reminiscent.

For Zero however, it had been a place of great significance, one built upon the turning points to his whole life after his father's death. For him, it was the place that reminded him of his own will; two of those times confronting his best friend and his sins, with betrayal on his mind. It did not comfort him to feel like that, but it was the only way to shield him from the horror of what this place will soon become.

Another jet had been upon the same beach as they were; knowing who it belonged to, the pair continued with the plan.

The two soon stepped out, wheeling down the coffin from the back. It was difficult to maneuver through the sand, but that was nothing compared to the rocky ground that soon challenged their advance. They endured bumps and turns, avoiding boulders and ditches, all the while trying to keep the casket from falling and/or opening. The entrance to the cave up ahead was dark; no light penetrating deep enough to reveal the perils that might impede them. Deciding that nothing would stop them, they entered the cave.

The sight awed the knight, while Zero had begun to remember the times he was in here; times he would never forget. The two caught sight of the remains of a door, one which stood bearing the insignia of the geass power. The two ascended up the small flight of stairs and, at the top, was greeted by the last accomplice in the plan; the Green Witch. They were not surprised that she had been carrying her signature plush doll.

Her face was pale at the sight of the coffin, but she knew what to expect from the plan. Indeed, though her face was pale, her expression was stone-like now more than ever. Her eyes were fixed upon the top of the casket, her heart beating faster at the sight. She had seen coffins of all kinds; regal, modern, common, crude, and even those buried without coffins. And though this was the most plain-looking, she could not help but wonder if the casket was not fit for the king to be placed in. She mentally sighed at her own dwindling humanity, though she shook her head and moved her mouth with one final request.

"Please, let me see his face."

It was solid, unfeeling, and harsh for all to hear, but the two did not deny her wish and soon pulled the cover away.

The witch's eyes burned with unsettling tears as she approached and gazed upon the king's dead form. She noted every detail; closed eyes, pale white skin, no breathing rhythm. But she was caught off guard when she saw, or what she believed to have seen, the hint of a smile upon his eternally sleeping frame. She felt slightly at ease for a moment and wiped the tears away. The two closed the coffin and soon she spoke once more.

"I will take it from here. Stay if you want, but if not, leave of your own accord. I alone can take him there and beyond." She pointed to the broken doorway.

"I cannot stay here" started the knight. "Though I want to be by his side until the end, I believe that he would have not wanted me to see him off." Turning himself toward the casket, the knight placed his hand upon it. "Farewell, my liege" he stated solemnly, and then turned toward the witch and Zero. "I will take one of the jets and hide out for a while."

"Where will you go?" asked the witch.

The knight smirked. "To my job…"

The witch and Zero looked surprised. The knight laughed a bit to himself.

"I was hired as a helper on an orchard. The owners don't know of my real identity, so it is as if I will start with a new slate."

The witch nodded, not holding back the smirk that she grew upon her face.

"I would like to thank you two."

"For what?"

"For taking care of his majesty…You two have done more than what I could've hoped to do for him."

"It was no problem at all" stated Zero. "We had done the best we could…yet still…"

The knight shook his head when he sensed Zero's sorrow. "You've done what you could, and that's all that matters now."

"Will we see you again?"

For a moment, Jeremiah paused in his place. "Maybe, maybe not." He then turned away from them and proceeded down the steps. Shouting a "farewell", he disappeared into the darkness and out of the cave.

Suzaku soon turned toward C.C.

"And what about you?" he questioned her.

"I will attend to his final wish. That is the least I can do now for him." She let her hand slide upon the surface of the coffin. "And what about you?"

"Do you have a way to get off the island?"

C.C. shook her head.

Sighing, Suzaku understood the predicament. "I will wait for you here until you get back. I will then leave for the palace, and should you choose to come along, I won't stop you."

"That's very considerate of you" she remarked. "Fine then, but hold onto this for me."

C.C. threw her plush doll at Suzaku, who caught it successfully.

"Why won't you come with me to see him off?"

Suzaku paused, feeling the deep sense of remorse rising from his core.

C.C. took a moment to analyze the silence that Suzaku had emitted. Shaking her head, she spoke. "You don't have to say it. I understand your position. In any case, I will be going off now."

Suzaku nodded at her.

C.C. began to pull the casket towards the door.

"Wait…" She turned when she heard Suzaku's voice.

"If you could, for me, please place the sword where you will leave his casket. That is all I ask."

C.C. smirked at Suzaku's sense of sentimentality. She thought to herself, _'Why mark his gravesite?'_ Shaking her head once more, she glanced back at Suzaku.

"I'll do so, for you."

Stoic and unmoving, Suzaku took her acceptance with his own. "Thank you, C.C."

With that, C.C. approached the door, placing one hand over the insignia and another upon the cart the casket was wheeled on. Suzaku witnessed the same spectacle that he had seen back when he wanted to enter C's World, before Lelouch became emperor. The insignia upon C.C.'s forehead lit up and her hair flowed back with an invisible wind. Light began to engulf her, and within a split second, she disappeared from sight; the coffin disappearing along with her.

Suzaku sighed one last time, trying hard not to let the sorrow get to him.

C.C. once again appeared in C's World. Noticing that the surroundings were accommodating, her memories depicted as paintings, she gazed upon the far end of the large hallway that she was in. This was her part of C's World; maybe even a part of her in some ways. All her memories passing by as she proceeded forward. Memories of days, months, and years long since passed now hung like timelines of her own past. Past lives, friends, accomplices; all of which recorded in her memory, now pass her by as she continues with the coffin in her possession.

Nearing the end, she sees a large brown door coming into view. She knows what is behind the door, and somehow fears the notion of approaching it closer. It is truly the end of the road for Lelouch; sad to admit that she would end up being the one to take him to his final destination. A part of her wants to turn back, to run away with his body, not wanting to commend it to the ages. Another part of her wants to thrash about, like a child in a tantrum, flailing about at anything just to get rid of the frustration from her newly discovered emotions. She wishes she had more time with him now more than ever.

But she knows she can't do anything about it now. Lelouch is dead physically and willfully; though spiritually, she had not defined yet. So, she pushes the door away and finds herself in a familiar surrounding. It was here that everything changed for them, all of them. This was the room where Lelouch stood and challenged his father and bent God's will; towards what it should have always been doing, advancing forward. She places it solely in the middle, under the eye of God. She removes the lid and gazes at him one last time. C.C. removes the sword from the coffin, placing it off to the side. She looks back, one more time at Lelouch, her eyes squarely upon his face. She cannot help but to smile happily at him.

"Lelouch…" she starts. "I'm glad to have met you. You were the only one who could show me the good side of life when others could not. I cannot thank you enough for this gift you have given me. This new life, this renewed vigor for a better life, and all thanks to your sacrifice." Tears fall freely from her eyes. "I want you to know that I will make sure your sacrifice will not be in vain. But I will do it from the shadows. The world no longer needs you, or me, or Suzaku, but if the need should arrive, and I hope one day it won't, then I will surely help to correct it. You have successfully granted my wishes, and though I could not grant yours, I wish that we could meet again, one day far from now, in this world or the next." She closes the gap between her and softly kisses his cold lips.

"This is goodbye…I love you, Lelouch."

She closes the lid and gazes at the Collective Unconscious, grasping the sword in her hand. It flashes bright just once and soon the casket begins to disappear, just as Charles and Marianne did. When the last remnants fade away, C.C. lifts the sword and stabs the ground once with all her might. The sword successfully stays upright, lodged pretty deep into the ground. She gazes once more at God and smiles sadly. As she turns away leaving C's World in the process, her tears begin to dry.

Suzaku sees C.C. coming into view and straightens himself up. His eyes are perceptive enough to see that she had been crying recently. Knowing that it must have been for Lelouch, he decided not to pry.

"Shall we leave now?" he asks politely.

C.C. nods and soon they too disappear into the darkness of the cave. They soon arrive at the jet that C.C. had been using. The two soon take the jet back to the palace. On the way, C.C. turns the radio on and both soon listen to the breaking news report. The speaker was none other than Milly Ashford. She spoke about the incident during the midday, the assassination of the emperor. C.C. and Suzaku noticed, as well, that she had been really shaken up about the whole event, up to the point that the two may have thought that she was holding back the sobs. Her pauses were a bit long, longer than what they should have normally been, signifying that she was struggling to speak. It even came to the point where another speaker had to intervene.

There were eye witness reports of Zero's actions, commentary upon the hero of justice, and celebrating. Of course with their cheers, there came jeers; words spoken against the slain tyrant were heinous and spiteful, but the station did not bother to censor them. Swears upon curses alike were hurled at the emperor, but that was human nature in itself. Suzaku and C.C. felt bitter that the people; no, the world would immediately bash and slander the image of Lelouch vi Britannia. But they couldn't do a single thing but to take it all in.

They soon landed within the top landing zone of the palace. Suzaku unbuckled himself and proceeded to the door.

"Stay here, I have to do one last thing before this is all over."

"What is that?" asked C.C. in curiosity.

"I intend to give the news to everyone else." With that, Suzaku left the jet and ran into the castle.

Turning down many corridors, Suzaku headed for the prison cell blocks. On his way there, he noticed that no guards were around anymore; the palace felt haunted, as if the ghosts of former soldiers and prisoners still haunted the walls. Shaking the superstition away, Suzaku ended up at his destination. He emerged from the shadows of the corridors and into the blue glow of the prison cells. Instantly, the prisoners began to notice him as he approached the main console. Gazing around him, Suzaku noticed the disbelief in their eyes once more. Suzaku turned toward the console and found a button; pressing it, he activated the radio preset to the same channel that he and C.C. were listening to. The cracking sounds flickered and soon a voice came. Moving the microphone to it, the prisoners could hear the news.

"Breaking news here folks" spoke the announcer, with a noticeably elated tone in his voice. "I am here at Ground Zero of this historic event the world has not seen for so long. Even now the people still chant the name of the savior of the world."

The chants for Zero soon blasted through the speakers, and soon the prisoners began to romp and yell out too.

"Excuse me sir, you are on the Local News Network." The chants were louder, causing some to not hear the man's cheers as well. "Can you tell us exactly why you are cheering?"

"Because Zero has returned! Go Zero!"

"Yes, yes, Zero has returned. Now for what reason did he return?"

"He came and delivered justice! Yeah Zero!" The cheering man took his breath. "I've seen it with my own two eyes, but I still can't believe it."

"What can't you believe?"

"Zero struck down the tyrant! He has slain Lelouch vi Britannia!" The cheering man was soon cut off by others who testified that it was true. The prisoners were left speechless soon after, waiting to hear all of the news.

"Well there you have it folks. Lelouch vi Britannia, the 99th emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire has been killed by who seems to be Zero, the Hero of Justice. Now if you'll excuse me, there is a party going on over to my right that I would like to join, back to you in the studio!" The audio was still on and soon everyone could hear the annoucer's voice joining the crowd.

Suzaku cut the radio off afterwards, his ears now ringing with the sound of the prisoners cheering, chanting his name in unison. For Suzaku, it felt like too much to handle at that point, so he left to go to the next console on the next level up. The room was separated from the prison itself, but had a few cameras within the cell block so to monitor any changes. There, he saw the switch to open the prisoner cells. When he flipped the switch he saw massive chaos as the halls were soon flooded with prisoners, most of which trying to escape. He gazed at some of the monitors, seeing where the prisoners were headed, and then proceeded to head back to the jet. He was quick to not let anyone catch up to him; rather, no one could ever find him or catch up to him in the least.

Back outside, Suzaku took one last sprint and entered the jet. Without any question, Suzaku started the engine and took off with C.C., retreating to the other side of the mountain. When stopped, the two went up to the summit of the mountain and gazed down upon the palace. Suzaku could sense that most of the prisoners have already found the exit; though just little specks, Suzaku could see them feeling from the palace.

"Is it over?" Suzaku glanced at C.C., her grip tightening upon her doll. Turning back to the sight below, Suzaku cleared his throat.

"It is…" he stated calmly.

C.C. understood his words and soon both were gazing towards the new horizon lit by the midday sun. Turning back, the two soon headed for the jet once more.

"Where do we go now?"

Suzaku stopped in his place. C.C. noticed his action and turned back toward him. Beyond his mask, he could see the look in her eyes. The same look of wonderment must have been upon his face as well.

"I don't know…" was all he stated. C.C. smirked when she heard him speak and could only follow him back to the jet.

'_Where can we go from here'_ was all that Suzaku could think about as they took off, away from Britannia and the rejoicing world.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Oh my god was this one such a hassle. I didn't want to have it end, seriously, but like my other chapters, this one should be no different. Now, I know that the events of this story might not have happened, but I would like to think that it would have probably gone down like this. In any case, I hope that I didn't rush this into circulation too fast. Points to know: I might have put in some fan-based assumptions, but hopefully it doesn't deter readers too much. It was unorthodox that I actually interchange between their names (Jeremiah – Orange Knight, Suzaku – Zero, C.C. – Green Witch), but hopefully I did get the point across. Making up the death scene was difficult, but hopefully the detail doesn't give foreshadowing of the next chapters/points of the story; also, I might have been a bit harsh toward Suzaku and Nunnally about the choice of taking Lelouch's body or not. Quick note: This chapter was made to describe the events that might have occured at the end. If it seems predictable, that is only because I had already revealed how things would go down in the previous four chapters. In any case, thank you all so much for sticking with this story. Hopefully I will get this done by the end of the summer. Comments/reviews are, once again, greatly appreciated. Thanks again.


	22. Aftermath

"_I reject your reality…and substitute my own."_

_-Adam Savage, Mythbusters_

* * *

Days had passed since the assassination of the infamous Demon King, Lelouch vi Britannia. The winds of change now blow fiercely in his absence. The world has yet to cease its jubilation. Most people, if not all around the world, were still subjecting themselves to reckless celebrations. There were masses of people in major countries that partied in the streets, destroying property in neglectful abandon. There were masses of drunken individuals singing incoherently, all the while throwing bottles into the sky and thusly vomiting in the streets.

Then there were others whom displayed their overwhelming sense of freedom and hatred toward the deceased king. Images of him were defiled and slandered. Messages of hate ran across displays of the king. It got to the point where effigies of the Demon King were hung by the neck, burning brightly even through the night and into the dawn. Other such things were cruelly treated; slashed eyes, slit throats, body parts missing, any and all sorts of malice had befallen these representations.

Protective forces had tried to keep the people from rioting even more, but that did little when being overcome by happiness and joy from regaining freedom. Some of the young and relaxed officers subjected themselves to celebration, leaving the more serious officers to try and control the people. Though, in this situation, most of the officers were not received well by the masses. Bottles and other debris were thrown in their direction, while some had been taken and beaten by the drunk and over-zealous.

Such things could not have happened at a worse time. While society was swept up in frenzy, the world's governments had little to no power over them due to the Demon King's dictatorship. Most officials had been hard at trying to regain control of the people; others were more lax and wanted to celebrate just a little bit longer. The majority feared that an uncontrollable chaos would soon arise if anything was done to limit or even cease the celebrations.

Thus their attention was shifted to the diplomats who had been better received by the people; the Black Knights. As it stood, the main officials, minus Zero, were the only ones considered to be the voice of the government. It was fortunate that the government had been able to locate most, if not all of the figureheads of the Black Knights. For days the Black Knights consulted with the deteriorating world government. Eventually, each side had come to terms with trying to regain order in the world. But most of the Black Knights knew that without Zero by their side, the possibilities of being heard were near zero. They had to gamble with their own chances.

In a major press conference, the Black Knights and the world government officials addressed the plea to cease the celebrations in order to regain a sense of peace within society. Though they were met with much opposition, the reasons for a cease in celebrations were well received by the majority. All of the officials unanimously voted for the halting of chaotic jubilation.

The press conference had all of the former powers of the world, with the exception of Britannia. There was no representative or leading figurehead to represent the country. In a sense, Britannia had more or less died along with the king. People no longer feared Britannia, but the Britannian people, though scattered about due to the main capital being destroyed along with most of the royal family and the destruction of the royal classes, began to fear that the world had turned against them, despite not having a direct hand in the works of the king.

It was then, a few days later, that a familiar figure came to the aid of the ailing country; a member of the now defunct royal family and well known leader of a small resistance army against the Demon King, Cornelia li Britannia. Along with her brother Schneizel, the two are able to become a voice for Britannia. Much to their will, the two weren't readily received by the government and the people. Of course with the help of the Black Knights, their credibility is more or less kept intact. With this, the world begins to turn to a better world despite its lasting anger toward the Demon King.

For now, the world is at peace, but the inner turmoil of such factions is still here to exploit. The truth for them has been skewed by the events on that faithful day; the day the man they once knew was standing on top of the world, only to be thrown down by a persona that he created. They know what is wrong now, but they dare not reveal the truth of what they really known about the Demon King. In there minds, the sounds of the revolution are drowned with the sorrows each of them have. They cannot explain and the only way to get the truth is far out of their grasp.

They gaze into the sky, each with a sense of listlessness. As the party dies down, though the slander still remains rampant, these individual groups have but one thing on their mind; peace. It was this peace that turns the world, yet at the same time torments their souls with the realization of what transpired before them. At least some of the individuals feel a mixture of emotions. With a leader gone, and a leader missing, they are left to fend for themselves.

A small aircraft flies in the sky, one random day later. What the world does not know is that the individual within the craft would soon bring about a revelation that would shake it to the core.

_The march of time progresses once more…and with it a new world is soon born…_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: I really hate myself for doing this, but once again due to my overload of work, I must once again give my readers this last (and final for sure) intermission. Okay, I was trying to bring this as a real chapter, but I was conflicted by the interest of who the point of view should be from next. Now, the reason I made this as an intermission was the point of transition from the destruction of Lelouch's world and the creation of the new world. This was also to display the results of Lelouch's plans. People will rejoice, and the world subjects itself to celebration when regaining freedom. It's like when the Lakers won their third championship trophy. Celebrations like those lead to much chaos, so when something like Lelouch's death happens, the same result should also happen right? In any case, hopefully this doesn't feel too rushed and that it will give my readers a much needed perspective on what is going to be written next. Questions and comments are once again appreciated, but I implore you to be patient for after this week I may just continue writing the next few chapters. Thanks again.


	23. A Gentle World?

A week had passed by and the world was still in joy over the death of the Demon King. Many still celebrated and others still held messages/displays of hate toward the now deceased tyrant. Human nature had indeed been evident within society even after the coercion of the government and the Black Knights. It was at this time that the world government had to once again act to keep control over the people.

In a unanimous agreement, even with some consent of the Black Knights, the government decreed that, if found, any and all remnants of the Demon King's existence, any shred of evidence that acknowledged the existence of Lelouch vi Britannia, including the extent of any and all influence that came under his reign, would be removed and/or destroyed. The world would once again cast off any knowledge of having known a tyrant.

This decree had been well received for most of society, and though some opposition to the law had been slightly evident, not much could be done to stop it from being enacted.

The effects of the law were mostly enforced within Japan, considering its own condition of once being used as a focal point of the Britannian Empire. Society stood aside as local police squads began to gather any and all objects that depicted the emperor and publicly burned them. Of course, the people also helped in throwing his influence into the bonfire, then slowly rejoicing as the ashes flew into the air.

It would be the last time anyone could publicly hate the emperor out of sheer will.

Public opinion, however, was not subjected to the law. The people still talked about the emperor and his evil deeds, but society had soon regained its former visage up to the point that just speaking of the emperor in the past tense was allowed. The media was also like this, though the extent to which it could do so was strictly limited to passing comments. Yes the people moved on, but the scars of the emperor's rule still showed.

A new dawn was rising. A fierce gust began to blow throughout the former settlement, which had regained the name Tokyo, reaching higher into the hills and then to the sky. A shadowy figure stood upon the hills, gazing down at the sleeping city. Nostalgia gripped the figure whose face was covered by cloth, eyes concealed by sunglasses. His clothes were fairly new; brown slacks, white shirt, black cap and a blue denim overcoat. His limbs were fairly built despite being thin overall. His hands were noticeably rough, only visible for one hand been gripping a suitcase handle.

'_I'm back' _thought the figure as he gazed once more, the way he used to in younger days. Soon, he descended onward into the city.

Once inside, he noticed that very few people were out; some were cleaning storefronts, others racing to jobs, the sound of cars whizzing by. The figure sighed and wondered just how much things have changed since his last visit. He walked on, speaking to no one as he passed by, until he reached a small, three-storied building on the outskirts of Tokyo, far from any major contact with city dwellers.

The figure pulled a set of keys out from a coat pocket and proceeded to unlock the front door. Opening the door, he came across dust-covered seats and furniture. Closing the door, he noticed that the lights were not on; the only source of light had been the sun shining through the window sills. He did not bother to draw back the blinds. The floor was made of mostly modern wood. There was a traditional Japanese section of the house that was set for the shoes to be removed; other than that, the rooms were more western than eastern. Instead of futons, there were modern beds; the kitchen area was separate from the dining room; the bathrooms were clean despite the layer of dust setting in nearly every other room.

'_The place feels more like a boarding house than an apartment'_ thought the figure as he approached the staircase. It creaked under the weight as he ascended. He peaked into the rooms on the levels above; most were vacant of any personal flare from previous dwellers. Ascending farther up, the figure approached a door leading to the rooftop. Pulling out the set of keys, he fumbled with it, trying to locate the exact key to open the door. When he found it, he unlocked the door and proceeded through.

At the rooftop, he gazed upon the emptiness of the view; to his left stood the city in the distance, to his right, was grassland and hills. But in front of him, the horizon stood wide open, the sea and sun greeting him warmly. He felt the urge to take of his disguise and let the breeze softly greet him, but he only withdrew into the building once more after some time.

The figure then proceeded to his room upon the third floor. Opening the door, he entered the room and gazed at its content. Along with the essentials, he noticed a large armoire at the opposite end of the bed. He peered into it, and was astounded by the large area it had within. A large mirror had also been placed within the armoire. He glanced at the window and saw that the view was towards the ocean. Sighing in relief, he glanced back at the mirror. For a long time he stared at the figure who was looking back at him. He raised his hand and undid the cloth around his mouth. He raised another hand and pulled the cap off from his head, his relatively curly hair slightly bobbing in reaction. Soon, the glasses were pulled away, revealing dulled green pupils that stared back at him with more force than any other.

Smirking sadly, he touches the mirror's face; cold and lifeless. He wonders if this is his true face; the cold gaze is his own he believes, but he does not think so.

'_This face…_'he states to himself, _'is no longer mine…'_ He closes his eyes once more, dulling the hint of sorrow that came from his weakened soul. After a while, he proceeds to the suitcase, opening the lock to reveal the truth that lay hidden within. He pulls out a compact hanger, flicks it open and places it upon the bed sheets. He looks back at the armoire and sees a small shelf above the bar that is used to hang clothing. The figure soon pulls forth a folded mass of purple polyester. He shakes it out, weaves the hanger through the collar and places it upon the bar. Turning back to his suitcase, the figure soon pulls the final object out from under a clever covering within the case. He gazes at it for a moment, thinking back upon days long passed. The edges have been slightly dulled and the front still retained traces of wear. More noticeably were the few streaks of dry burgundy upon the left side. The front of the object was empty and void, as if sucking everything in and not releasing anything back out. He shuttered at the notion but calmly placed the object above the clothes, upon the shelf. Gazing once more, he felt as if these objects were a testament to his life. Placing the suitcase into the armoire, he closed it and let himself fall upon the bed.

He felt tired in an instant. Staring back at the ceiling, his weary eyes began to close.

'_You will…no longer…'_ began a voice in his head as his conscious soon faded into his sleep.

The sun rose higher and higher as morning dawned upon Japan. The inhabitants had soon begun their little morning rituals of groans, cooking, and panicking at how late they are to get from point A to point B. Most of the networking in Tokyo had begun to continue with daily ordinances of commerce. Businesses began to reopen, office buildings were once again alive and buzzing, and even schools were back to regular schedules.

An alarm clock rang, echoing throughout a small room in an apartment building. After a few moments of unending siren noise, a small hand rose and slammed down upon the clock, silencing it. Soon a body rose from the sheets, a dazed and tired look apparent upon the face. Stretching out, the person stood and looked at the clock:

7:15 am

A sullen expression flew across her gaze. "Crap, not again" said the person rushing to the bathroom. Clothes were soon thrown to the floor as the shower was turned on. Jumping into the tub, the person screeched for a moment, not realizing that the water was still cold.

After the shower, the person rushed into the kitchen this time, towels wrapped around the head and body. Aiming for the bread, the person swiftly grabbed a slice and stuck it into the mini toaster, setting it to two minutes before retreating back into the bedroom. Within minutes, and a flurry of clothes being flung onto the bed, the figure dressed in appropriate school attire, along with a school bag. Rushing back out into the kitchen, the figure carefully, yet still hastily took out the slice and softly bit down upon the corner. A muffled "Goodbye Mom" was the last words uttered as the door closed.

Cautious of the time, the figure rushed the streets and headed far into the city itself.

The running continued even as the gates of the school were in sight. Passed them, the figure noticed that only a few students were still walking to their classes. Once the classroom door was in sight, the running began to slow until the person stopped at the threshold, panting out of breath. Some of the students noticed the figure at the door, but most did not mind it.

"Hey!" A voice called from the back of the room. The person glanced up and saw a familiar face. "Woke up 'late' again?"

The person could sense a bit of sarcasm coming from the other's words.

"Jeez, you still have…" The blue-haired student glanced at the clock. "Eighteen minutes left."

"Really?" replied the figure, approaching the desk, exhaling slower and slower with ever step.

The blue-haired student scratched his head. "You really got to take things less seriously."

"Maybe" the person replied. "But I do live quite far from school you know."

"C'mon, you think you live far? I don't live close to the school either."

"True, but you have a ride to school every day. I don't, thank you very much."

"I could give you a ride to school if you'd like?" A smile appeared upon the student's face.

"No thanks, Rivalz. I'd prefer running over your crazy driving."

"Eh?! I don't drive like a maniac you know." The two shared a small laugh and a smile. "But seriously Kallen, don't push yourself too hard."

Kallen smiled once more. "I'll try not to take that advice."

"Suit yourself."

More students began to enter the classroom. Kallen had observed the stampede of people coming in. Some were old faces she used to see, others were new students whom had recently joined Ashford Academy. It felt nice to see changes once in a while; at least that was what she had believed. Classes started and lessons began. For Kallen, much was pretty simple. P.E. had been quite easy for her since she shed her identity as a physically weak student. She excelled in her athletics, overshadowing some of the others to some extent. Some have made comments about her, polite and rude ones in the mix. She welcomed the change because she knew she was still herself at the end of the day.

When school was out, Kallen would go home on most days, but not today. Today had been another scheduled day of conference with the Black Knights and the world government. She sighed as she traveled to the heart of the city. Along the way, she observed the people around her. Most were content, others not so much, but she knew that all were happy inside. She could say the same thing about herself, but she knew it was not really true.

At the building where the conference was being held, Kallen stood by as most of the delegates were conversing with each other. The topics of the meeting were simple; how to deal with rebuilding the nations of the world, how to aid those that have been damaged by the war, who should represent the nation of Japan, and what to do about the now defunct nation of Britannia. Arguments over these topics had filled most of the time. Kallen glanced over to the Britannian delegates; Cornelia and Schneizel. For the most part, Cornelia had been the one to negotiate, and at times Schneizel had put forth his two cents, but hardly anyone agreed to their proposals. Kallen noted that most government officials were still pretty much against Britannia regaining even the most trivial of powers. Sometimes it helped to be part of the Black Knights, but really it never helped to be on any side of the conversation.

She figured that due to the late emperor's rule, most people could not, or would not for that matter, agree with any Britannian proposal. Kallen would hate herself for just staying on the sidelines when the late emperor's name was brought up. The room would either grow dim with silences or gradually become filled with subtle, yet most of the times outright, displays of lingering hate whenever the name Lelouch vi Britannia was uttered. Most of the meetings that had this always ended up with no one gaining anything.

Usually, Kallen would leave right up to this point.

This time however, Kallen had met with the Britannian delegates before they left. Meeting within the hallways, Kallen had appeared before Cornelia and Schneizel. As usual, Schneizel would venture back to the plane, leaving Cornelia and Kallen alone.

"I'm sorry" started Kallen as she always did when they met. "The meeting didn't really go so well for anyone did it?"

Cornelia shook her head. "There are people who are stubborn, and then there are people who hold grudges. It is not like I expected them to listen; I just wished that they would see the big picture."

Kallen nodded softly, hands firmly placed at her sides. A bit of silence meant a lot between the two.

"In any case, I hope that by the next meeting, they would come with a more open mind."

"Same here" replied Kallen. "We are doing the best we can to make this peace work."

"I know you are; we all are trying to do so."

Kallen bit her lip. She swallowed her nervousness and spoke to Cornelia in a softer manner.

"How's Nunnally?"

Cornelia was a bit surprised to see Kallen asking about Nunnally; although, she had been confronted by Kallen about the same thing ever since that faithful day. She shuttered at the very thought, for a lot of reasons. It was a day she could remember vividly, a curse rather than a blessing one might add.

"Oh, she's fine" was all she could mutter.

At times, Kallen would have left things as it was and just trust Cornelia's word that Nunnally was okay. She knew better than that, but feigning naiveté, Kallen could do nothing but accept her word.

This was not one of those times.

Giving a stern gaze towards Cornelia, Kallen opted to get to the real truth. "Is she fine?"

Cornelia instinctively knew that Kallen had found something off about her answer. Not wanting any further confrontation, Cornelia yielded a bit to Kallen.

"Are you?"

Much to her surprise, Kallen initially felt a bit irked at the rhetorical value of Cornelia's reply. But then a moment later, she conceded the meaning of Cornelia's words.

Shrugging her shoulders, Kallen stood and awkwardly smiled. "A simple 'no' would have sufficed."

Cornelia did not smile back. But as she witnessed Kallen turning away, Cornelia sighed to herself.

"I'll tell her that you said hi. That okay with you?"

Kallen paused and stood in place, back still turned toward Cornelia. "Thanks" she stated with some gratitude. With that, Kallen walked away, somehow feeling even more bummed out than before.

As Kallen headed down the hallways, she soon bumped into another familiar face.

"Oh, sorry Ohgi" she said straightening out her clothes.

"No, it's my fault Kallen." Ohgi scratched his head a bit, at a cross with trying to be formal and informal with her.

For Kallen, however, things between her and Ohgi, as well as the Black Knights have been very shaky ever since Lelouch's death. She had been with them during the plans to regain peace with the people, as well as how to deal with the late king's name and the riots. She had stayed silent from their decisions willingly, but the motive behind her silence was quite contrary.

"I'm sorry, Ohgi, but I have to go now."

Ohgi had been a bit shocked at how she had not looked directly at him when she spoke, but shrugging it off, he nodded.

"Take care, Kallen."

Ohgi stood still as Kallen walked passed him. A part of him missed the girl that she once was, another part of him wanted to comfort her in her depression; sadly enough, however, a major part of him felt pity for what had transpired on that day, so much so that his presence, he felt, may have just caused her more discomfort. Sighing in defeat, he went his separate way out of the building.

Kallen had felt a bit saddened at how seemingly heartless she had been to her comrades. As she walked the streets, going home, she glanced all around her. Street lights were starting to brighten as the sun went down. Bright fluorescent lights began to illuminate the buildings around her. Things had returned to what it used to be back before the war had started. Deep down, a part of her soul ached at the sight of the blissful people as they partied the night away. Some had celebrated achievements, others relaxed after hard times at their daily schedules. But for the most part, she had known for quite some time, while observing through the corners of her eyes and with her ears that these celebrations always included, at one point, the death of the emperor.

At times, she heard his name being mentioned as a metaphor for horrible instances; other times she overheard the people slandering his name even though time has passed. It suffocated her just to hear the name, drowning her in a sea of malice and regret. At times, she would take it in stride, wishing that she could just tell them to cease the mentioning of his name. However, on times like this particular one, she would shake her head and close her eyes, her pace quickening until she had practically sprinted through the streets. Everywhere she went, she could hear the name of the emperor. The voices would only become silent as she entered her house, subconsciously slamming the down behind her.

Out of breath, she started to walk towards her own room. On her way, she passed by her mother's room; mentally slapping herself, she peeked into the room.

"I'm home, mom" she stated behind the door. Her spirit was lifted when she had seen her mother sitting in bed, her heart sinking at the sight of her listlessness. She quietly approached the bed and sat beside her mother. She reached towards her and grasped her hand. Her mother's head slowly turned towards her, and after some time, a smile appeared.

"Welcome back, darling" she muttered out slowly. Kallen's hand trembled for a moment. She understood how hard it was to take care of such a mother, especially after what she had put her through personally for the most of her adolescence. Of course that and the Refrain that her mother had consumed for what seemed like countless days in the past. When she came out of prison, Kallen had hoped to rebuild the relationship with her mother, but life had been cruel to both of them. It was a slow an arduous task, but eventually her mother had somewhat recovered from the trauma, though visibly still despondent at times. Kallen feared that her mother's gaze would sometimes wander so far away that she would not be able to bring her back to her senses. Kallen had felt hopeful most of the time and sure enough most of that time she was rewarded with her mother's recognition.

Her reply was more than enough to keep her content with her work.

"Are you hungry?" Kallen asked

Shaking her head, her mother spoke. "I'm fine with the tea."

Kallen knew that it was not okay for her mother to just stick with green tea.

"I'm going to make dinner, would you like something to eat?"

"I'm fine" her mother stated.

"I'm going to give you a bowl of rice and some fish okay?"

For some time her mother stayed silent, her gaze once again fixed upon an unknown image. Kallen just stood by the door, knowing that even with the difficulty, she had to be patient.

"Okay dear" her mother's voice rose softly to her ears.

The two ate in peace, while listening to the news reports. Although her mother was not aware of most of the problems that were mentioned in the news, Kallen could perfectly understand them. She had inwardly smiled when she saw Milly on the television, proudly enjoying her job. She had remembered the times that Milly would visit the school again, always traveling with bodyguards preventing swarms of fans and old faces from getting too close to her. Kallen would observe the scene from afar most of the times, smiling to herself.

After dinner, Kallen went to her room, dropping her bags near her desk. Going to the bathroom, Kallen had started her normal routine before retreating into her room for the night, after making sure her mother was also in her own room. She showered, brushed her teeth, and went back to her bedroom, towel still wrapped around her slender frame. She dried her hair first, fiercely toweling her tresses then shaking out the rest of the moisture. Going towards her dresser, her towel slips away as she goes through her drawers for the next batch of night clothes. Putting them on, she retreats to her desk and does her usual homework for the next few hours. She sighs and leans back into her chair, finished with her homework.

At this time, her gaze wanders around; first upon the ceiling, then to her belongings, and finally ending up on a board hanging from the wall. It was covered with various pictures of friends, family, and comrades alike. She stands and walks towards it, taking in the pictures one by one, smiling and laughing to herself. Her hand rises up and touches them around the edges, softly caressing the memories. Her hand suddenly stops as she finds her way towards one particular picture. Her smile slowly fades as she gazes at it, her hand dropping to her side.

It was a picture of a boy, one she knew for only a year collectively. Her hand trembles as she goes over his features; jet black hair, slender, frail body frame, wide amethyst pupils. It baffles her and makes her sad to remember the boy. To this day, the smile that he wears within that photo confounds her whole entire being. It was the only picture she had left of him, and it makes her sad to realize that it would be her only picture left that has him in it. At times, she would freeze up and stand still, gazing at the picture for countless moments. Other times, like this one now, she unconsciously backs away and lays herself upon the bed, her face buried within the pillow cases. She does this from time to time, often getting up to shut the lights. However, at this time she turns herself over and gazes at the ceiling, arms and legs sprawled upon the sheets. She turns on her side, facing away from the picture, meeting with immaculate white walls that draw out her quiet sobs.

The night then grows dim as she whispers the one name she regrets having known.

"Lelouch…"

It is at this time that Cornelia and Schneizel return to the castle that ironically their younger brother, the late Lelouch vi Britannia, had once occupied. Schneizel had been tending to his own affairs, though simply just staying within his own room just to do so by the command of Cornelia.

Cornelia had begun to attend to her specific ordeals; being updated upon the country's reconstruction, whether foreign aid was possible, though highly unlikely due to the mark the country had left upon the world, and most importantly, checking up upon her now youngest sister.

The walk from the conference room, previously the throne room, to her sister's quarters would always be the longest walk she would take since her own sister's funeral. The stench of death still lingered within the hallways, and so did the evidence of her half-brother's existence. Though not visible, she could still feel his presence as if he was beside her.

She noticed the room right away, having posted guards at the door through her own command. They were not the usual guards, but rather trusted employees of the world government. She understood the precaution that the government was taking, but at times it made Cornelia feel a bit saddened to see a lingering sense of mistrust between Britannia and the world. The guards knew why she had appeared before them and without a word said between them, they immediately opened the door for Cornelia.

The air still felt stifling even ten days after the death of the emperor. The surroundings were still as they were, untouched and unmoved. The door closed behind her and soon, she was alone with her youngest sister. Approaching the bed slowly, Cornelia saw her sister's frail form curled up in a fetal position upon the bed. She knew that at times her positions changed, ranging from her head upon her knees to her just sitting upright in bed. Stopping at the bedside, she knew that the girl in front of her had not really moved at all since that faithful day. Swallowing her pride, she opened her mouth.

"Hello, Nunnally" she said softly and kindly towards the girl in the bed.

No response came from the girl. Cornelia soon took a seat upon the bed and reached over to her sister, gently brushing her hair as she once did with her own sister Euphemia. Still, no response came from Nunnally.

"Did you eat?" she asked somewhat timidly.

Still no response…

Cornelia mentally shrugged off the silence and started talking about the day.

"The world is starting to move once again. People are beginning to return to their natural lives. I've heard that not much violence had started today, just a few minor inconveniences and whatnot." It stung to have to start a conversation like that, but Cornelia knew no other way to try and talk to her frail sibling.

"The meeting with the government was pretty short this time around, but I think that some progress has been made." A part of Cornelia became numb as she recognized her lies. It was something she had grown accustomed to doing since Lelouch's death.

Cornelia gazed at Nunnally's form; her body looked frailer due to the dress she had worn, her hair was still quite long, but now ruffled by her staying in bed, her legs still so thin from the last time she saw her. It was her legs that made Cornelia reminisce about her situation. Crippled, blind and frail, Cornelia could never imagine just how Nunnally would have survived such a life. That was until she realized that her brother, Lelouch, had always been with her.

Cornelia's memory brought her to days far gone, when their families, her own and Nunnally's, were close. She had always observed her younger siblings even when she was with Marianne, her idol, always smiling when they were together. Of course she had remembered just how tragic life had been. She grieved over the fact that their mother had been assassinated and how Nunnally was rendered helpless under her cold body. But what she could not forget even to this day was the big change within Lelouch after that day.

Even after they were exiled, she had grieved, but for the most part moved on. At times, she wondered what Euphemia would do when she got the news of their collapse of royalty. They were not influential enough to request aid for the two siblings and thus furthered them away from the whole ordeal. The letters that Cornelia had gotten from Euphemia were sorrowful and tear-drenched. She remembered at how her sister pleaded her to retrieve their siblings, to have their father repeal his exile of them from the family. Sadly, Cornelia had written back saying that she could not. The letters began to diminish afterwards, and then with the attack on Japan, when Cornelia had told her that their names were on the death list, soon ceased immediately. A part of her vowed vengeance against Japan for the death of the unfortunate siblings, hence she joined the royal army, honing her skills until she had gained dominion over Japan, newly named Area 11.

Countless years of her life she spent becoming a warrior princess for her country and her family; engulfing her whole life up to the point that her memories of the two siblings, now thought to be dead, soon vanished. Cornelia remembered how she had been ecstatic to hear of Nunnally's survival, but had also been furious at what Lelouch had done to the family. She spent time with Nunnally before leaving the royal family, but it had been one of the most wonderful experiences she has had in her life.

Sadly, now they are passing dreams, fading away whenever another day arrives; all that remains now are her decaying country, the loss of most of the royal family, and the frail little girl that sits in front of her now. It is not that hard to accept this reality, but sometimes Cornelia wishes that it never had turned out like this. Sometimes, in the dead of night, she wishes that she would have tried to search for them, to save them from their fate, to hide them away from this rotten world. It is a regret she has come to terms with for a long time now.

She rubs Nunnally's shoulder and places a kiss upon her right temple.

"Please cheer up Nunnally" she repeats softly in her sister's ear and soon rises from the bed. She goes to the door and before leaving, speaks once more.

"Kallen Kouzuki says hi." With that, the doors close, the sound echoing throughout the room. Nunnally hears the door close; she was aware of Cornelia's words, but is now more aware of the silence within the room. She is aware of a lot of things right now; she hears the small ticks and tocks of the clock upon the nightstand, she hears the hum of the lights hanging over her. Her eyes are wide open as the sounds boom in her head. Her body trembles now as reality dawns upon her once more. The night grows cold, and from the scenery outside of the room, through the window, the lights in the distance begin to dim. Her eyes begin to close. She fights the urge to sleep, holding out for just more time to be awake. But her body will not allow it. Her body defies her mind and soon her eyes close.

She knows what comes next as she closes her eyes. She wants to stay awake; rather, she does not want to shut her eyes. She is aware of what happens in the dark that she sees through closed eyes. She has been like this for a while ever since that day. It is the sound of memories long passed that fills the atmosphere of her sleep. It is the images of a tragic play that soon occupy her mind.

A nightmarish storm awaits her tired eyes, and it is one that she cannot stop.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Well, another chapter is done. I have to say that this one didn't really turn out as long as I had hoped. However, I do applaud myself for not giving away as much of a vital point to the story (or not) as I did some chapters ago. In any case, like my previous chapter, I wanted this as another introduction to the new world that Lelouch had created with his death. I meant for this to span for almost every character involved with Lelouch or Zero. Also, I may have treated Schneizel pretty much like a dog ever since the Zero Requiem. C'mon, he's still under the geass to follow Zero/Lelouch's order. In any case, I did intend to give Cornelia a bit more background now since her character mainly stayed on one emotional path during the whole show. I also included Rivalz just because he needs some attention, which I will give in later chapters. If I have left anything out or have ignored any important points on characters or plot, then I'm sorry for that. I appreciate any comments/reviews that you, my readers, have for me. Thank you all for sticking with this story, and please be patient with the next few chapters (I am nearing the end of my schooling days for summer, so please be patient with me okay?). Thanks again!


	24. Terrible Memories of the Past

In dreams, people tend to reminisce about days long passed. Others fantasize about desires and events they wish to happen. And to some degree, there are dreams that combine the two elements. There is a level of bliss one attains from such dreams, and when awoken to reality, feel all the more elated that such a dream occurred.

Then there are the nightmares; night terrors and bad dreams alike. In contrast, these facilitate to wreck the mind, shatter psyches, and destroy happiness. People wake in terror and fear after such things intrude upon them in their sleep. Like good dreams, these range from memories and fantasies, but can also happen due to experience in reality.

In the dead of night, when only the moon's glow is visible, people tend to dream the most.

For Kallen, the sanctity of dreams has become muddled with memories of her life, as well as experiences as a Black Knight. She dreams in her sleep, covered only by a blanket that gives her little warmth overall. She fidgeted around in her sleep, her mind now within its own dream state.

She dreams of days that are long gone, days that seemed so real in her dreams. She dreamed of a vast world, her gaze overlooking a hillside and far beyond. She sighs and smiles when she sees undisturbed tranquility. She runs into open fields of grass, plots herself down upon the soft ground and stares deeply into the sky. Content, she slowly smiles.

"_Hey Kallen" _says a voice behind her. Kallen tilted her head back and was shocked to see her comrades.

"_C'mon Kallen, let's go" _says one of the figures. She knows who the voice belongs to and smiles as she approaches the man whom she has come to know as a second brother.

"_I'm coming Ohgi" _she replies.

The scenery changes to within the city. Kallen and her friends, those from the Black Knights, roam the streets of the city, entering shops, going to the mall, eating out; all that which she can experience and think that it is real.

The sun sets within her dreams as she returns to the hillside she first started on. It comes to her as a surprise that a figure, shrouded in shadows with the sun in front, has been standing at the top of the hill. Kallen stands stiff, stunned at the appearance of the person in front of her. She recognizes the features of the person; short, brown hair similar to her hair when it is down, dark blue eyes…

"_Brother?" _she spoke meekly. A smile appeared upon her brother's face as his arms opened wide towards her. For a moment Kallen could not move her legs. She knew that she had to be dreaming since she knows that her brother is dead. Still high off the fun that her friends had with her, she immediately ran into his arms, wrapping her own around his waist. For a while, she allowed herself the feeling of comfort from the dream.

The two stood and faced the horizon, watching the sun go down slowly. Kallen felt content now more than ever. She glanced over her towards her brother, then back at the horizon. Dead or alive, dream or no dream, she knew that he was her brother exactly how she remembered him before his death.

"_-eace…"_

Kallen turned her attention back to her brother.

"_Peace…has come" _he had said, gazing towards the disappearing sun.

"_Yes, it has come indeed" _she stated in reply. Her eyes soon dimmed as the smile on her brother's face quickly disappeared.

"_But…" _Kallen was caught off guard as her brother turned toward her. _"…at what cost?"_

Kallen was stunned to hear the words from her brother. In an instant the sun disappeared, the lights in the city darkened and Kallen could no longer see her brother's outline as the shadows took over and clouded her sight.

"_Brother!" _she yelled. _"Where are you Naoto?!" _Kallen had sensed her own movements as she sifted through the darkness. _"Ohgi! Tamaki! Minami! Anyone?!" _For a few moments Kallen was engulfed in darkness, the world around her eerily silent. A dim, red glow soon appeared before her, in the shape of a sign that she had not seen in a long time. She approached it, hoping that it would be her guide in the darkness. When Kallen stood on top of the insignia, it began to glow brighter. Kallen closed her eyes when engulfed within the flash of red.

Sounds of gunfire began to ring as Kallen opened her eyes to her new surroundings. Fire blazed around her and beyond it was debris. The town had been destroyed, or so she thought at first. It was actually ruins of Japan's cities during the war. Kallen heard cries of agony as events played out; people being killed by gunfire, others being burned and crushed under rubble, Knightmares fighting against each other. It was here that Kallen was confronted by a Knightmare Frame, its gun poised to shoot. Kallen had been through this scenario so many times and had come out standing against it, but at this moment, she tucked herself to her knees as the weapon was fired.

"_Brother!"_ she screamed to herself.

The sound of bullets was ceased as Kallen noticed a shadow covering her. Looking up, she noticed that it was the Knightmare Frame Guren MK II. Its cockpit was opened, beckoning for Kallen to pilot it. Kallen did so, and situated herself as she always did within her Knightmare.

"_Let's go!" _Kallen exclaimed as she went forward. Striking down the opposition, Kallen saved many from certain death. When the battle was done, Kallen stood triumphant upon the fallen Knightmare Frames. The fires surrounded her position but were soon extinguished by some unseen force. A chill ran up Kallen's spine as she soon found herself not within the cockpit of her Knightmare. She looked around and saw nothing.

The sound of clapping came from out of the darkness. A figure soon came within her view, one whom she had known all too well.

"_Good work"_ said the figure.

Kallen was immensely shocked at the figure. _"Zero" _she stated under her breath.

"_You have done well in protecting justice." _

"_I'm glad that you see it that way" _she replied.

"_Indeed I am" _Zero began, _"though I am also greatly disappointed." _

"_What do you mean?" _

Zero had placed his hand upon the front of the cape. _"What I mean…"_ he began, soon pulling the cape off, revealing the imperial robes of the late emperor, though the mask was kept on. _"…is that you have completed this task."_

"_What task?" _Kallen stated, somewhat confused as to what Zero had stated.

"_The task of betraying me, that is."_ Kallen felt shocked at Zero's comment. _"You were the only one in the Black Knights that was truly loyal to me, or so I thought. I thought that you would be the one to follow me until the very end."_

"_How could I follow someone who thought of me as a pawn…who used me like a tool?" _Kallen felt slightly enraged. _"You betrayed us first!" _

"_How so?" _

"_You hid your identity from us! You could have told us who you were!" _

"_And if I did?"_

"_Then we…We could have…" _Kallen did not know how to respond to the question.

"_What purpose would it have served if you had known me or not? If I did and said I was a Britannian, do you think I could have gained the support of your friends? Or if I said I wanted to crush Britannia using the rebel forces power, would I still have the support of the people?" _

Kallen stayed silent, not knowing how to respond to Zero.

"_A person without an identity and a purpose is better than a person with a selfish desire."_

"_But what you did was selfish! You killed so many, those who did not deserve to die as well."_

"_In all aspects, there will be sacrifices that cannot be avoided."_

"_Many died for you, yet you don't hold them dear to your heart!"_

"_And it is because of that emotion that the Black Knights betrayed me, that you betrayed me!"_

Kallen was forced silent by the remark.

"_Why did you not trust me or my methods? Though they were harsh, they gained results that furthered my cause, the people's cause. Even when things went awry, why did you still not trust me? Why did nobody obey my orders? Why was no one by my side then?" _Kallen noticed that Zero's tone was slightly changing to a softer, yet sadder demeanor._ "Why did everyone desire methods over results? Why was I not favored anymore?" _Kallen saw Zero gripping his chest. _"Why was I no longer needed? Why was my reason to live taken away from me?_

"_Why?" _The grip on Zero's shirt tightened. Stifling gasps started to come from the masked man. To Kallen, it was almost unbearable. She had known that Zero, that Lelouch was not like this at all. She fell to her knees, closing her eyes, pleading to her mind to shut the madness away. But even as she covered her ears, she could still hear Zero's voice as if she had not done so.

"_What is the price of one's life if that person has no life left to give?" _The voice sounded sterner than before, as if acknowledging the words instead of denying them. _"Don't we all still desire to live, to have been known, to have been acknowledged and understood?"_ A crashing sound had opened Kallen's eyes. In front of her, she saw the mask of Zero staring back at her from the ground. She raised her gaze and saw that Zero, Lelouch had removed his mask, but now faced away from her. Her eyes spotted a large red stain upon his back, blood slowly pouring down his clothing. It was traumatic to see it again, the life dripping away from his form.

"_Lelouch…" _she started. But as she spoke, the image of Lelouch began to walk forward, slowly disappearing into the darkness. _"Lelouch, wait…"_ Kallen tried to chase after Lelouch. But as she rose from her spot, so did the mask below her. She was startled by the mask floating right in front of her; out of the corner of her eye she could barely see Lelouch's form. _"Don't go…"_ She tried to reach out to Lelouch with one arm, but was repelled by an unknown barrier.

The mask rose over her, the cape that had been thrown soon wrapped around the space below the mask. In an instant, it was as if Zero had reformed right in front of her.

"_Please, let me through" _she pleaded with the figure,_ "I have to stop him." _

"_How can you stop what has already happened?" _said a voice, surprisingly coming from the mask itself. Kallen could only gaze in morbid astonishment as the figure drew closer, slightly feeling uneasy about the whole ordeal. A gloved hand came forth from behind the cape, rising slowly towards the mask, gripping the front faceplate as it stopped.

"_You cannot, and for that you must live with the guilt upon your hands, as I have." _The mask soon came off; bringing a blinding light that engulfed the two. Kallen squinted at the brightness of the light. She quickly glanced to the side once more, but saw no trace of Lelouch anywhere. She glanced back at the light and saw Suzaku, adorned with Zero's clothing, a frown upon his face.

"_No…" _Kallen softly said. _"No, no, no…"_ she repeated as Suzaku approached her.

"_Live with the guilt of having betrayed your comrade, of having a hand in his dreadful fate."_

Kallen tried to run from Suzaku, not knowing where to escape to. The light was blinding and she could not see the right path. Back into an invisible corner, she turned back towards Suzaku, becoming increasingly afraid every time he moved a step closer. Her eyes widened as Suzaku moved his hand closer to her.

"_Stay away…" _she spoke. _"Don't come any closer…" _Kallen covered her eyes and curled herself into a ball. _"Go away!" _she screamed.

She rose from her bed in a cold sweat. For a moment Kallen was heavily breathing, the fear still gripping her even though she woke up. She brought a hand to her head and wiped the sweat away. To her left, the sun was beginning to enter her room. When she glanced back at her clock, the time was 6:15 a.m., way before her usual alarm one hour later at 7:15. She took some time to gather her thoughts.

Kallen knows that this was not the only dream she had ever since that faithful day the world was reborn. She had counted at least five more times that she had a dream similar to the one she had just experienced. She recollected times when her eyes were teary, when her head was dripping with sweat, when her eyes opened to the light that came through the window of her room every time she woke up. She knows that she could get over the ordeal immediately, just like everyone else, but for personal reasons, she could not do so easily. She sometimes wished that the memories of Lelouch would fade away like so many others, to finally be free from the nightmares. However, there were times that she compelled herself not to do so out of sheer will power.

She assumes that if she forgets him, especially now that the world has made his name into a sign of blasphemy and treason, and that most if not all connections that linked to him are gone, then that is when he will be truly dead to everyone. She compelled herself to remember him, whether as the loner student or the leader of the Black Knights, or as the Demon King, for if she did not, then the last of the memories of his existence would truly fade with the passage of time.

Sleep does not return to Kallen, and soon the dawn is met with the sounds of quiet sobs.

At school, most of her classes came and went, her demeanor somewhat slightly changed due to the events in the morning. After the lunch bell rings, Kallen wanders the halls, gazing through windows, eventually venturing out into the courtyard and towards the auditorium. It is here that she sees a familiar sight; a medium-sized van with the logo of "KT Television" on the side.

'Huh, Milly is at the school again?' she thought to herself, sighing in an elated yet tiresome manner. 'That's the fourth time in the past two weeks.'

Kallen shrugged her shoulders and wandered back towards the main campus building. Within the first step through the door, Kallen had noticed a big crowd of students far down the hallway. Looking over the group, Kallen spotted two tall men in suits, sunglasses upon each of their faces; Kallen knew that at the center of the whole scene was Milly. Of course not being too close, she could hardly see her friend.

Kallen felt like shrugging off the whole ordeal, but something within her mind compelled her to meet with Milly. Not wanting to brave through the masses, Kallen decided to take things from a different approach. She took in a deep breath, and then sprinted down the distance. A few feet from the group, Kallen tucked in and, with the strength she had, vaulted over the group, above the guards, and landed a few feet away from Milly.

Milly was surprised to see Kallen, especially since she just appeared from the space above her. The guards glanced at Kallen, while still holding off the group, wondering if she was friend or foe, but with a nod from Milly slowly backed the idea off.

"Kallen" started Milly, "It's nice to see you again."

"Same here" she replied slowly while regaining her breath at the same time. "What brings you here this time?"

"Oh, just the usual visit, but as always, fans don't give me the peace that I want."

Kallen glanced back at the group; most had been complaining about how she was not caught by the guards. Most of the total whining was muddled; many voices spoke out in unison, but with different words were thrown. The noise had gotten so loud that some teachers had to intervene into the situation. Most had ordered the group to disband, and eventually they did, bitter and defeated.

Kallen turned back at Milly, not surprised at the look of relief on her face.

"Thank goodness that the teachers were here" she replied smiling.

"Yeah…" Kallen trailed off. "Um, Milly?"

"What is it Kallen?"

Kallen paused for a moment, reflecting on the matter inside of her mind.

"Can we talk for a minute…alone?"

Milly noticed the way that Kallen was at that moment, somewhat nervous as to explain the want to talk with her. She waved off the tension like she always did.

"Of course, Kallen, but why don't we go somewhere more…private?" She motioned for her guards to follow her. Kallen saw her action and started to walk beside Milly.

Farther down the hallway the two ended up at a familiar surrounding; the student council clubroom. Milly motioned for her guards to stand outside while she and Kallen entered the room.

"Kallen, is that you?" a voice came from the side of the room, behind a few boxes.

"Yeah Rivalz, it's me."

The blue-haired boy rose from his position and slowly turned towards the door. "I was just getting the fireworks ready for…" Rivalz's voice trailed off as he faced them. His gaze turned toward Milly, his lips quivering with anticipation.

"C-Chief?"

"Hey Rivalz" Milly said with a smile.

Rivalz was astounded at the sight of his long time crush. He immediately rushed over to her and ended up hugging her. Milly sighed as he nestled his head under hers.

"It's good to see you too" Milly stated as she rubbed his head playfully. Once Rivalz broke away, he wiped his eyes and smiled.

"Kallen, why didn't you tell me that you had brought Milly?"

"I figured you'd be surprised even if I had told you" Kallen replied with a sigh.

"In any case" Milly interjected, "Rivalz, could you be a dear and get us something to drink?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "I'll be back in a second." Rivalz rushed through and out the door in a break-neck speed. Milly told her guards to allow him back in once he returned.

Kallen took a seat on the opposite side of the table in front of her, facing towards the door. Milly took a seat in front of Kallen afterwards.

"Now, what is it you want to talk about?"

"Well…" Kallen glanced at Milly for a moment, and then looked down at her hands in her lap. Her mind was replaying her dream earlier in the day. Kallen shivered at the thought, but it reminded her of the situation that she was having within regards to knowing Lelouch as Zero and knowing him as a student. At times, Kallen figured maybe it was for the best that his friends did not know that he had a double life, but after what transpired, she knew that secrets like those needed to be understood to a degree, even if it was only between friends.

"Do you remember how I used to feign being weak in school?" Kallen started.

"Yeah, you were always considered weak by appearance, always staying out of gym class, walking slowly around the halls. Of course, that was just a lie, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was a lie. I only was like that to cover the fact that I had been with the resistance groups against Britannia. I fought hard at night, and felt drained in the day."

"In a way, you were Kallen Stadtfeld by day, but Kallen Kouzuki by night." Milly chuckled a bit. "Your life was like that of a superhero…"

"You could say that, but I was no superhero. I had killed many to protect my people. I had picked up where my brother left off. I had fought bitterly against indifference and injustice. All of us had fought against Britannia's tyranny. And it wasn't until Zero had come along to show just how useless our previous fights were in comparison. His strategies were nearly flawless, and in the end, we would win the fight for Japan one day at a time." Kallen smirked. "Yes, as a Black Knight, I was able to give the people hope. My school life dwindled and my appearance as a weak girl was cemented."

"You mean to tell me that you were a part of the Black Knights more than a year ago?"

"Yes, I was. I had even been to the first few instances where Zero himself would appear, including the day of the hotel hijacking."

"No way" Milly stated in astonishment.

"Of course, it was then that Zero's name became more legendary. With time, I would become his personal guard and captain of the Zero Squad. Yes, the Black Knights had the power to challenge even the mightiest of countries." Kallen froze at this point, wondering whether or not the details of her Black Knight status were relevant to the point she was making. "Of course, all of that went bad at one point…"

"At the Battle of the Tokyo Settlement right?"

Kallen nodded. "I had left the battlefield, chasing after the Lancelot. It was then that I came across Suzaku Kururugi as he confronted Zero. I was order to protect Zero to preserve the hope of Japan, as well as to protect my brother's dream of a free Japan. But it only took a few moments for me to betray it. I had stood by as Suzaku shot Zero." Kallen took a long pause, slowly recalling the memories of that day. It sent chills down her spine to even think about it.

"Zero was always a great strategist, and a knowledgeable tactician when using information. I always wondered who the person was, and how he managed to do such impossible feats. His leadership skills were also great. No one could match the charisma that he had. I've always wondered, 'what kind of man is under that mask?'." Kallen glanced at Milly.

"Did you ever wonder what Zero was like?"

Milly was caught off guard at the question. "I did at one point…Everyone did at some point. They were fascinated by the person known as Zero."

"What if I told you that Zero was someone you already knew?"

This caught Milly's attention. "What do you mean?"

"Zero…is, or was, someone you knew…" Kallen gazed at Milly for a while, looking at the shock that her words had to her. "You see…"

* * *

Meanwhile, Rivalz had been walking down the halls with a couple of cans in his hands.

"Damn vending machines…the one time they had to be out of service" he complained to himself. "It didn't help at all that the cafeteria is just on the other side of the campus." He looked down at the juice cans and sighed. "But even so, I must bring these back for Kallen and Milly." Rivalz soon delved himself into his own fantasy world.

"_I have returned" said Rivalz as he came through the door. _

"_Oh thank you Rivalz" Milly replied gazing at Rivalz. "You are my hero. I would be parched if not for your brave effort to retrieve me such a fine drink." _

"_It was nothing" replied Rivalz in a manly tone as he flexed his muscles. _

_Milly swooned and ran up to him, a hand around his back and the other upon his chest. "Now let me give my hero a kiss." _

"_No my dear" he replied, taking her into his arms and dipping her like a tango dancer. "Allow me to kiss thy lips."_

"_Oh you beast…" _

_The two embrace each other slowly, lips curled as to administer the tender lip lock. _

Rivalz didn't realize that he had gone way into his own fantasy that he did not realize the imminent impact about to befall him. In an instant, Rivalz collided with one of Milly's guards. Rivalz fell onto his back as the cans came to a crashing stop upon the floor. Rivalz's eyes shot open and saw the person he had crashed into. Slightly frightened, he gathered up the cans and stood at the door. The guards did not let him pass for a moment. Halted at the door, the guards scanned Rivalz once more and allowed him access.

"Thanks" he said softly.

The door was soon open, but much to his surprise, Rivalz saw Kallen standing in front of him.

"Hey Rivalz" she stated and grabbed one of the cans from his hands.

"W-Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm headed to my next class. See you later." With that, Kallen soon left the room. Rivalz shrugged his shoulders and entered the room.

"Hey Milly" he started as he approached her, "I brought you your drink…" Rivalz stood beside her and peered over her shoulder. His face became quite sullen when he saw no reaction to his call. Milly's gaze was empty, as if no life had occupied her once bright face.

"Milly?" Rivalz waved a hand in front of her. "Milly?" He snapped his fingers repeatedly, but still no response. "Milly?!" He shook her hard.

Milly shook her head and snapped out of her daze. She turned to Rivalz and softly smiled. "Sorry Rivalz."

Rivalz heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. For a minute there, I thought I had lost you."

Milly shook her head once more. "I'm fine now, thanks for caring."

Rivalz smiled and handed Milly one of the cans. Both opened their drinks in unison and took a sip. Rivalz broke away first, heaving a sigh of satisfaction. Milly took her sip slowly, her eyes gazing forward, through the windows. Rivalz noticed this gesture and started to worry about her.

"Is something wrong Milly?"

"No…nothing's wrong…" she replied, her voice slowly fading with the completion of the rebuttal. For a short while, the two stayed silent, tension slowly building in the air.

"Milly?"

"Yeah Rivalz?"

"What did Kallen talk to you about?"

His question rang in her ears for some time, left unanswered for a few seconds.

"Hey Rivalz?"

"What is it?"

"Did you ever…suspect that things aren't what they seemed to be?"

Rivalz gazed down at Milly for a moment and pondered her words. "What do you mean?"

Milly sighed. "I mean, did you ever feel anything between someone that felt right to you, but not to that other person?"

"I-I'm not following what you are trying to say…"

"What I'm trying to say, is that have you ever felt as if you were blind to the truth about everything, and about people?"

Rivalz stayed silent for some time. He wondered if Milly had been talking about social interaction or something on a personal level. Sighing, he responded. "I think that, what we have now is important to cherish, and what has happened cannot be reversed. Look to the future but honor the past."

Rivalz looked back at Milly, surprised yet happy to see her smile. "That was corny Rivalz."

"Aw come on Milly, I'm trying to be serious." He pouted afterwards.

Milly's smile grew wider as she rose from her seat. She ruffled his hair playfully. "With lines like that, it's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend yet." She began to laugh.

Rivalz soon laughed with her. He could never really tell her his true feelings, but if it is just to see her smile, then maybe it was enough that they are still friends.

"Rivalz, if you could, tell me when you will hold the fireworks show." Rivalz paused for a moment, and then smiled.

"Of course, Chief" he replied.

"Thanks" Milly replied as she approached the door. "I'll be bringing someone with me then."

"Bring whomever, Chief. All are welcomed." With that, the doors closed behind Milly.

On the outside, Milly sighed and motioned for her bodyguards to leave. She walked down the halls, gazing at the familiar displays of bulletin boards and premature decorations. Her mind wandered to far off times in her memories; happier times when she roamed freely around the school. As she approached the outside, her vision was blurred by the bright light of the sun. She stopped and gazed at it for a while, pondering about the memories of childhood. When she returned to the van, she hopped into the back of the vehicle and waited for the engine to start. When the van started moving and they were off school grounds, Milly gazed down her blouse. Moving her hands within the opening, she slowly pulled out a small locket necklace. She opened the locket, revealing a miniscule picture of the boy she once knew, a boy now gone from the world on one side. On the other side, a small engraving; _"L+M"_

Milly held the locket close to her heart as she turned her gaze towards the back window of the van. From her position, she could see most of the school far behind her.

"_Kallen…" _she thought to herself. _"If what you said is true, then what is it that I must do now? Must I confront the past in order to move on into the future?" _

Milly pondered the events that led up to her present existence. She thought about her friendships and bonds that have stayed and have disappeared. It was then that she wondered about what Kallen had spoken to her about.

"_If that is the case, I must meet with them."_ Milly gazed out once more towards the window. The van was now entering the main part of the city. Milly shook her head and soon waited for the van to return to the KT Television main building. In the building, Milly went straight to her personal room. Sitting at the desk, she pulled out a rolodex and sifted through until she found a small card with a simple phone number on it. Milly called the number and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Yes, I would like to speak with Nina Einstein please?"

"Hold on one minute."

Milly heard a few voices coming through the other end of the phone. Soon a familiar voice came through.

"Hello?"

"Hello Nina? It's Milly. Listen, I need to meet with you. There is something that I need to know."

"I-I guess I can meet with you."

"I'm grateful. Let's meet some time soon, at the usual place?"

"Yeah, okay then Milly."

"Good, I'll meet you then." With that, Milly hung up. Turning around and facing the windows, she slowly fingered the locket within her hands.

The sun slowly began to fall from its peak, bringing with it the afternoon. The city began to light up with life. People were going to restaurants to eat while others partied the afternoon away at the mall. The scenery lit up with renewed vigor.

* * *

Far beyond the city, upon the rooftops, a masked figure stood within the distance. The mask he wore was the most powerful object of his visage. Hopping from one rooftop to another, the man made his way into the city, leaving people to only see a blur as he hastily passed by.

"_The time has come"_ thought the masked man. _"We all must play our part for this world to survive…isn't that right?" _

The winds of the past come as he races into the city.

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay…this chapter, by far, had been the most troublesome than any other. I feel like I have betrayed my own story with this chapter. But in any case, I think that I might have to clear up some issues with you, my readers. Yes, I may have gone a bit overboard with emo Lelouch, but that is how I feel Lelouch might have been if he were a sad sack (plus, it is just a mental image, not the real thing). I wanted this chapter to, originally, be through one perspective, which was Kallen. However, I felt that with all the loose ends left with the people involved, more perspectives had to be used. I included Milly as one because she is also one of the characters whom needed closure with the events of the Zero Requiem. Rivalz's perspective will be included with Milly's. For Kallen, I wanted to have her alongside the Black Knights so that she could also explain the events to others within their ranks, probably even to confront Zero himself. As for the final perspective, I wanted it to be Zero, in which case Suzaku, whom will confront not only the Black Knights, but the Britannian Royal Family (what is left of them). Okay, so maybe that was a spoiler, but in any case, that is how I planned the last few chapters. Main point to these next few chapters: total closure of the story. In any case, I hope I didn't confuse any of you, my readers. I wanted to keep things short, but now I've just extended things farther. Please bear with me as I write the next few chapters. I hope that this particular chapter does not put any of you off. Thank you once again for sticking with my story. Reviews and comments are deeply appreciated. See you next time.


	25. Divine Intervention

The streets of Tokyo had become lively as the sun fell down beyond the horizon. Streetwalkers alike were now occupying the usual hotspots of the city. Students once again leisurely roamed the streets, briskly starting up conversations about their usual school/family related-drama. Workers alike had entered bars and restaurants, drinking their pains away into the night.

At this time, another meeting of world government powers was planned. Representatives flocked into the building where the meeting was to be held. No civilian was allowed to be at the sight, neither were they aware that such meetings were being held, for the most part. Rather, it had become a bit too common that no inhabitant paid attention to the ordeal until the results were evident.

In the distance, high atop an adjacent building, a shadowy figure gazed down upon the scene, hunched over as if melding with the building's own form. The figure watched as dozens of national representatives entered the building, even those from the Black Knights. As the cars left and the procession of delegates ended, the figure rose from his place and withdrew into the building itself.

Descending down flights of stairs to the first floor, the figure stood and gazed once more at the entrance to the building to which the meeting was held. A few guards were posted at the doors, guns in hand. A sigh came from the figure as he exited the structure.

The guards stood at attention, carefully scanning the area. One guard scanned towards the right; silence when nothing suspicious showed. The other guard yawned, shaking his head back and forth to force the drowsiness away. Upon regaining sight, the guard spotted the figure walking towards them from the opposite side of the street. Raising his gun, he called out.

"Who are you?" The guard beside him looked in the same direction and soon raised his gun.

The figure continued to walk towards them.

"I said, who are you!?" shouted the guard as he cocked the gun.

The figure soon stopped just several feet away from the entrance. "I am…"

The guards soon lowered their guns, eyes widening as they saw the figure in the glow of the lights around them. The black and gold cape, the purple garments, and the empty mask; all that the figure donned was soon revealed.

"Zero!"

Zero noticed their surprised faces and smirked to himself. "Let me pass, if you would. I am needed at this particular meeting."

Without question, the guards stood aside and allowed Zero to cross through. Zero scoffed at their complete admiration of him, so much so that they would allow him in without checking for proof. Although, how can one prove the truth about a figure like Zero if none have ever revealed exactly what the real Zero has? Especially now that the Demon King was dead to the world, he figured that a person dressed as Zero could get away with most things. Walking down a few more hallways, Zero spotted a guarded elevator. Once again, eyes were turned towards his direction and guns were lowered as he approached closer.

"Take me to the meeting" Zero commanded.

A solid "Yes sir" was the only thing to be heard afterwards. Sheer silence was evident as Zero and the guards went into the elevator and down to the lower levels.

At the meeting, most of the representatives were on the same page most of the time. Some of the discussions included updates on country affairs and reconstruction of afflicted nations, most of which have been nearly repaired. The two major parties the helped the meeting along were Japan and China, both known to have members within the famed Black Knights, the official, and necessary icons of the world government.

As usual, most of the delegates were all aware of the circumstances that allowed Britannian representatives to be included into the meeting. Most of the reconstruction of Britannia had been halted due to lack of support, due to the history that the nation's royal class had. Most other delegates were opposed to the idea of aiding Britannia, even after the death of the 99th emperor. The lack of aid and support would soon bring Britannia to the point of destruction.

"I implore all of you" spoke Cornelia, the main representative of Britannia, "Britannia is on its last leg. If the nation does not find aid soon, then the people will starve and surely riot."

Flurries of ill-spoken words were soon hurled in reply.

"Aid for Britannia is certainly not advisable, nor is it really ethical now."

"Now maybe the people will know what it is like to be weak!"

"As if the people would want to aid your country; they'd rather see it hit rock bottom!"

"Please" spoke Schneizel, the secondary representative, "You must listen to reason."

"The wounds of the war that Britannia has waged are still evident. Surely asking for aid at this point is nothing short of impudence."

"Besides, there are not enough resources that each country can give that can restore Britannia even to a minimal status."

The comments were true for the most part. Cornelia sat back down and gravely pondered on how the delegates were making excuses. _'If we don't find aid soon' _she thought to herself, _'then the country will be in ruin…and we would be headed towards a civil war amongst the people and the government.' _Cornelia remembered the visions of war that she had accumulated over the past few years. Death and destruction would run rampant and people would pointlessly lose their lives. _'If only we had a strong, influential figure on our side…'_

Britannia had indeed been the country with the least amount of influence left. And even though some of the Black Knights, minimal at best, along with the slight bit of aid from Japan and China, Britannia was still not rebuilt.

"We can…" started a little voice, thus all eyes turned towards the Prime Minister of Japan, Kaname Ohgi. "We can at least give some support to Britannia, even if it is miniscule."

Silence hung in the air for a while after he spoke; faces of astonishment and disapproval became all the more evident as well as everyone had their gazes turned toward Ohgi.

"He's right" started another voice. Soon, all eyes were turned toward the second Japanese representative, Kaguya Sumeragi. "Though Britannia has done many things in the past, all of that was due to the authority of the emperors. Britannia now has none with the death of the 99th emperor."

Gasps could be heard when Kaguya mentioned the late emperor's name. An unspoken rule between the delegates at the meeting was to avoid speaking of or mentioning Lelouch vi Britannia, whose name had been considered a blot upon history and as such taboo to even say it.

"Might I add" she continued, undaunted by their reactions, "The representatives of Britannia did help in the fight against the late emperor. They were as opposed to him as any of us. Does that not account for something?"

Hushed whispers were apparent after Kaguya spoke.

"Albeit that they did in fact intervene at one point" started one delegate, "we cannot overlook the past that they have acquired."

"Indeed" started another. "If memory serves, wasn't Cornelia known as the warrior princess of Britannia? Her ruthlessness off the battlefield is only shadowed by her ruthlessness on the battlefield."

Soft rambles continued as the past was brought to light.

"And was it not true that Prince Schneizel's In Vogue team were the ones to first create a working F.L.E.I.A. warhead, the same weapon used by the late emperor?"

"That monstrosity?!" another voice rose, causing others to be heard.

By now, another storm of angry voices was raised, calling for opposition against any aid for the ailing country. The Britannian reps', as well as Japan's reps' eyes began to dim as the situation had turned against them.

"We will never forgive them for their crimes."

"You must listen to reason" Ohgi meekly spoke. "If the people do not see that things have changed, then this peace will not last."

"That is right!"

All voices were soon hushed as the main doors soon sprung open. The faces of the representatives were wide with astonishment and wonder as they gazed at the man now standing at the doorway. But the ones who were really surprised were the delegates from Britannia and Japan.

"Y-You…" started Ohgi, stuttering a bit at the sight of the man. "You are…"

"Yes, I am Zero." His words silenced the whole room. Zero glanced around and was not surprised at the delegates' reaction to his appearance. A part of him smirked at how Zero's name was still so well known and revered.

"Why have you…"

"Why have I come here today you ask?" The smirk disappeared from Zero's face, letting the seriousness of the situation set in. "I have returned for a reason."

"And that reason is…"

"To keep this 'peace' alive." Murmurs were uttered all throughout the room.

"What do you mean by that?" Zero glanced at Kaguya, noticing her tensed posture, slightly smiling at how she had acted.

"I think we all would like to know what you mean as well Zero" spoke Ohgi.

Zero glanced around and saw the undivided attention that he had been given.

"There is no doubt in my mind that what all of you, the representatives of the world, have done in such a short time has been admirable to say the least. However, as it stands, Kaname Ohgi is indeed correct. If change, and I mean that in a large-scale sense, is not present or shown, then this world, this peace will collapse."

Zero's head turned as his eyes analyzed the group. Most had been baffled by his words, others still showed a bit of uncertainty. As his gaze reached towards the Britannian representatives, he saw the disbelief in their eyes. He wondered if it was either because of his sudden intervention or because he had just showed up coincidently at the right moment. He saw Cornelia's wide eyes, commenting to himself at how stern they still were since the last time he saw her, back when the world soon turned once more. His eyes soon were upon the Japanese representatives. Zero saw her now firm gaze and felt slightly glad to see her growing up. When the gaze fell upon Ohgi, Zero saw the determination within him that was needed now more than ever.

"What can we possibly do to prevent this peace from collapsing, Zero?" Ohgi spoke, headstrong about getting an answer from the man whom he had once called "leader". A tense stillness drifted in the air as Zero took a breath to speak.

"Tell me, what does it mean to move on?" His gaze turned towards the delegates. Most of the group was evidently baffled by his words. "Humans are always living for the next day, which is mostly true. While most survive, others will fail and then become discarded. Humans seek to help others either directly or indirectly; this is also true. In doing so, humans learn to live peacefully with each other." Zero paused to let the information sink in, mentally noting the amazement at how he sounded when speaking.

"However, it is also true that humans abhor that which has harmed them in any way. As such, the divide in aiding one another and completely separating from another grows exponentially. This is also due to the fact that most humans will always judge others not only by recent action, but also by personal history of the other group. Thus, peace becomes impossible, and equality is thusly shattered. As Emperor Charles put it, there is no equality between humans; the strong will always crush the weak."

Zero glanced at Cornelia from the corner of his eye; her face grew dim when her father's name was said. Whether out of pity or sorrow, Zero did not take the time to dwell upon it and continued.

"The history of the Britannian country is encompassed by the actions of the main ruler. It is only for an instant that the offspring can make an impact. Cornelia is known for being a ruthless warrior, Schneizel is known for heading the creation of a warhead, as well as others like the Massacre Princess." Zero felt himself cringe inside for mentioning Euphemia, but numbed the ache as he continued.

"All these people are known only for instances, but the emperor is known for most of the actions upon the world. Sometimes, the actions of the king overshadows any and/or all actions taken beforehand by any other."

"What is the point that you are trying to make?" spoke one of the delegates. Zero turned to the delegate and paused. Knowing that some of the words spoken were a bit rhetorical and a bit intellectual, Zero found himself getting to the point.

"The reasons that you delegates use to justify not aiding Britannia are, though reasonably valid and true, nothing more than mere excuses."

After hearing the comment, most of the delegates were slightly appalled by the sheer audacity of Zero's words. Zero could see that most of the group had been uproarious with opposition. However, when he turned to both the Japanese and the Britannian groups, all he saw were wide, astonished eyes.

"Listen to me" spoke Zero and soon the delegates hushed their voices. "I understand that most of you are still opposed to aiding Britannia. However, with your opposition, the consequences to which we all want to avoid will come true. The government must set an example for the people to follow, but to maintain peace, we must all be willing to absolve past discretions. We must all move forward to maintain what we have gained recently with the death of the previous emperor." For a moment, murmurs between the delegates could be heard; most were of the reasonable sort.

"The people won't take this sitting down" spoke one delegate. "Neither will they allow themselves to forgive the actions of the emperors of Britannia."

"Indeed" started another delegate. "We have already limited their actions with publicly hating the late king."

"After the order to destroy any remnants of his existence, there was no evidence left to prove of his existence. There is nothing left of him, other than memory, to hate"

"There still is." All eyes were once again upon Zero, whose arm was now digging in the pocket inside of his garments. "Here."

Gasps filled the air as the room gazed upon the cloth within Zero's hands.

"That's…"

"Yes, it is the late emperor's royal cape." All were fascinated by the condition the coat had been in. The blackened edges of the cap revealed signs of fire damage. Most was left pristine; however, the huge red blot upon the lower center of the cape had tarnished the cloth entirely.

"Where did you get that?" asked Ohgi, causing Zero to turn his head towards him.

"It matters not how or where I came into possession of it, but it is what it represents that matters." Stunned silence was evident as Zero continued to speak. "Due to your actions, the people have been limited to personally holding their hatred for the king. I can understand that you probably did so to help the world move along the path of time. However, with no evidence left to remember the emperor, you have unknowingly dissipated the one factor that the world had; a common enemy."

"A common…enemy?"

"Yes. You may have thought that forgetting the past would push people towards the future, but what you have overlooked is the need for the knowledge of that past. What people need is a physical reminder that such atrocities have existed, but can be endured and overpowered. As the saying goes, if one does not learn from the past, then history is doomed to repeat. Right now, the common enemy of the world that is needed is the past." Zero raised the cloak towards the group.

"Lelouch vi Britannia is the embodiment of the past. He who subjugated the world, the man whom created atrocities that man is capable of, who has taken away freedom and shackled the weak to his rule, and who thusly destroyed the will of the innocent. History books can only mention the name, but this will serve as the reminder that there was once a man whom thought himself a god-like ruler and pressed the will of humanity under his thumb like an insignificant ant. I say to all of you, for the world, let us remember that man and learn from our mistakes, for his way of power is not one to be allowed if the peace is to survive. Let Lelouch vi Britannia, once again, be the one we must hate, and let his actions call forth the will to live in peaceful coexistence."

Zero's words hung in the atmosphere for a while, a strong silence overcame the delegates. Murmurs could soon be heard, and soon voices rose up from the silence.

"Yes, Lelouch vi Britannia should be blamed."

"Indeed, he is the object that must be hated now, not Britannia itself."

"He is our hated enemy, and not the Britannians."

"All in favor of giving aid to Britannia?"

"Aye!" The whole group of delegates soon agreed to providing aid for Britannia. Cheers for Zero had rung throughout the room, banishing away the silence.

Cornelia was baffled by the effect of Zero's words; from being the most dejected country, now attaining the support and aid it so desperately needed. She glanced at Zero and wondered who exactly was now under the mask. The charisma that Zero had used was similar to the first Zero, maybe even greater; that was a given considering both are considerably tactful. A part of her understood the position that Zero had taken, calling for eternal hate towards her younger brother. She had also known that her same younger brother had also played as Zero originally, as well as how charismatic he was.

She also knew about why he became Zero; for the sake of his sister Nunnally. She had remembered how appalled she was to hear such a low excuse to justify not only countless numbers of innocent/civilian deaths, but to the royal family as well; a part of her would never forgive him for killing her own sister Euphemia.

She had also paid witness to the events that happened just a few weeks ago. She vividly remembered how Lelouch had sat atop the float while his sister was chained down below him, along with their older brother Schneizel, as well as the couple of prisoners from the Black Knights and the Britannian forces. She remembered how she saw Zero standing against her brother, poised to deliver the fatal blow. She did not see the event with her own eyes, but she knew the final outcome; that it would be the end of Lelouch nonetheless.

It baffled her that Zero stood before them, with the same charisma that he had in the beginning, yet she knew that it was not her brother that was under the mask. Whether she wanted to call out for his identity or not, Cornelia just sat and gazed at Zero in all his glory, wondering about whether it is good to agree with such a plan.

"We must restore the hope and dreams of the people, all people including Britannians."

"Indeed," started Zero, "but first we have to show that we, the representatives of the world are united in our stand for peace. That is why, for those countries without leaders or representatives, we must choose appropriate people for this cause. Now, though most of the representatives here are certainly already in a position as such, only two nations still remain without a leader." Zero turned toward his right, facing two groups. "Japan and Britannia are the only ones without a leader."

"That is correct Zero" Ohgi replied. "Japan has no solid leader as of yet."

"That is why, as head of the Black Knights, and as a person seeking peace, I nominate you for that position."

Zero saw the color draining from Ohgi's face when he processed the words. "Me?"

"Yes, I can think of no one better to lead Japan through these tough times. You who had put your faith in me since the beginning, whom stood against the tyranny of Britannia's emperors, my Second-in-Command; I am convinced that you would indeed make a fine and honest leader, one that is needed to bring hope back to the people, and to future generations."

Much to Ohgi's surprise, the sound of clapping hands began to fill the room. Ohgi looked over the whole group and saw that they supported Zero's decision. Turning back to Zero, Ohgi nodded.

"I'm much honored to have this position, Zero."

"Indeed" Zero's head now faced towards Cornelia. "As for Britannia's choice of leader…"

"Zero" Cornelia responded. "I am grateful to you for your decisions; however, currently Britannia is not in a position to be electing a representative."

The group fell silent with the understanding of Cornelia's words.

"Indeed it is not" responded Zero. "It will certainly be rough for Britannia to recover, so I understand that it should not have one as of yet. But when the time comes, I am putting my faith in you and Britannia to choose a suitable leader whom shares the same ideals as we do."

Cornelia nodded in reply.

Zero soon turned towards the group. "We must all do our part to ensure that peace becomes reality. I hope that everyone understands." All of the attendants nodded in reply. "Good, and with that, I adjourn this meeting."

All the representatives stood and clapped as Zero turned and headed towards the door. When it closed behind him, Zero breathed a sigh of relief. It amazed him at how his actions were like that of the previous Zero.

'_No, it is because we share the same ideals that I am able to do so' _he thought to himself as he entered the elevator. As it ascended, Zero began to ponder the actions that he had taken recently. It was not really unorthodox, but from a standpoint, his reasoning was mostly his own. To him, his decisions were only influenced by the assumption that if the original Zero had been there, he would have done the same thing. And yet even so, it still stung to have done so.

'_The price of peace is indeed a terrible thing'_ he thought to himself once more as he exited the building and disappeared into the twilight; the night sky lit only by the town and moon. It was a long way back home, only made longer by the sheer thought of what's to be in the coming days.

'_Forgive me, my friend…'_

Arriving back to his abode, Zero walked up to the door and entered. Walking straight up to the room to which he stayed, Zero soon stood alert; a light had been turned on within the bathroom. Cautiously approaching the door, he heard the uneven sound of running water. He gazed down and saw unfamiliar clothing. Fearing the worst, Zero bravely and softly opened the door. The silhouette of a person had appeared behind the shower curtain. Zero reached out for the edge of the shower curtain.

"I know you're there, Zero."

Zero's hand stopped as his ears picked up on the voice, instantly knowing who it was that was behind the curtain. The faucet had suddenly stopped and a hand soon came from the shower, open-palmed.

"Hand me that towel" said the figure.

Zero turned towards the towel rack; seeing only one towel, he grasped it and placed it within the hand. He turned away as he saw the figure using it to dry. The shower curtain was drawn back, revealing the person behind it. Zero turned his attention toward the person and sighed. He had recognized the person instantly; the long hair and dull eyes were more evident than ever.

"What are you doing here" he took a glance at the person's face, "C.C.?"

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay this took too long and now I have to prolong the story a little bit more (originally I wanted to finish this story before summer ended, but I guess I can't now). In any case, I feel it was kinda rushed, so please forgive me if things are a bit out of place (or if characters seem OOC). I wanted to include Kallen for this one, but due to my own work habits and my changing mind, I decided it was best to leave her out for now. A real surprise isn't it, having C.C. at the end there? Okay, my point for this chapter was to have Zero return to help the situation out. In doing so, it would help unite the world again, despite it returning back to its previous state before the war. In any case, I consider this chapter not as well done as my others, but still a pivotal point to explain how the world became peaceful at the end of the series. I hope that the wait has not put off many of you, nor do I hope to lose any of your support with this new installment. Once again, if you have any questions, please feel free to review or message me about it. I thank you all for reading my work. Hope to see you again with a new chapter.

EDIT

A/N: I've recently read all of the reviews for this chapter, and I think that some explanation is needed to quell any doubts about the direction of the story (I am just trying to clear things up since I did indeed rush the chapter and had been between feelings about whether to edit it or not). First, understand that the time that this chapter is set in is two weeks since Lelouch's death. The development of the world after the war is still at a minimum, and hope/stability is slowly crumbling and if the government doesn't act, then civil war would eventually break out. Everyone seems down because they expect the problem to either solve itself or to be solved as quickly as possible. In terms of characters' attitudes, most of the known ones are still in some shock that Zero appeared before them and killed Lelouch, whom they knew was Zero when he was still their comrade. Ohgi, as we know, is not that strong of a leader, but has shown leadership skills when fighting against Lelouch. Kaguya still plays support for Ohgi and for Japan. Schneizel is still not allowed to speak a lot since Zero has not wished it yet. And for Cornelia, I had her retain her calmness while trying to gain support for Britannia and its now near impoverished state. As for Zero, I had him act like Lelouch because that is how Zero is known as; a charismatic and logical thinker with a flare for the theatrical and rhetorical. Once again, I'm sorry for not putting this into the chapter before I uploaded it. Hopefully now things are almost resolved until the next chapter. Once again, thanks for all of your support and hope to hear from you soon.


	26. The Turning Point 1: Yellow Past

Suzaku stood in the bathroom facing towards C.C., a look of awe and some annoyance had been evident upon his face. C.C., however, had retained her usual nonchalant composure despite standing with only a towel covering her.

"What are you doing here, C.C.?"

C.C. softly sighed. "Could you at least wait for me when I'm done?"

Suzaku paused, remembering that he had intruded upon her first. "Fine" he replied as he turned and headed out of the bathroom. C.C. watched as he did and smirked, then resumed to towel herself off.

Suzaku had entered his room and took a seat upon the bed. The glow of the moon had been the only source of light for him. Peering around for any other surprises first, Suzaku soon placed his hand upon the front of the mask and pulled it away. He sighed as he placed the mask upon the end of the bed, hanging upon the bedpost. Suzaku proceeded to take the cape off his shoulders and had also placed it upon the bedpost. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Suzaku remarked at how difficult to breathe with the mask on at times. _'I wonder if Lelouch ever felt liked that' _he thought to himself.

Suzaku's attention was soon diverted when C.C. came into the room. For a moment Suzaku gazed at her clothing; her usual two piece undergarment setup, a short shirt that went as far as under her breasts, revealing her abdomen area, and a pair of shorts that resembled thigh-high panties. Both garments were white and near skin-tight. Standing at the doorway, C.C. looked down at Suzaku, causing his eyes to turn away quickly. She smirked once more and then sighed.

"What are you doing here C.C.?" Suzaku asked again. "And how did you get in?"

"First, I needed a place to crash." C.C. smirked. "Second, I went through the front door."

Suzaku cringed. "Why did you do that? Anyone could have seen you."

"And if they did?" C.C. replied coyly. "Would they even know who I am?"

Suzaku scratched his head in frustration.

"Despite the fact that I gave you the spare key, couldn't you have chosen somewhere else? I told you that we cannot be seen together."

"Indeed, but given that I have no money on me and nowhere else to go, I decided that it would be much more convenient to stay where you are."

Suzaku scratched his head. "As if I have any money as well; all of it was used up just to get this place." Suzaku gazed once more at C.C. and then looked back down at the floor. "Of course, that is only with the help of the money Lelouch stowed away."

The mentioning of Lelouch's name silenced the whole room. For a few good moments, the two did not look at each other, but knew that the same thought was on their minds.

"How did things go with the consulate?" C.C. asked hesitantly.

"It was okay I guess" he replied. "That is to say that it had gone well than I had hoped; maybe a bit too well."

"And by that you mean…"

"The consulate was indeed surprised when I had stepped in at the right moment. Not to mention that all of the delegates had nearly followed my commands to the word." Suzaku scoffed at the notion. "For a moment then, at the consulate, I felt like I was actually conveying the spirit that he had when he was Zero. Isn't it ironic?"

C.C. glanced at Suzaku, seeing the small, cynical smirk that he had upon his face.

"I always opposed Zero from the start. And yet, now I find myself acting just as he would have done so."

"Finding it a bit odd now?"

Suzaku shook his head. "Why should I? After all, I am dead to the world aren't I?" He glanced over at C.C. from the corner of his eye. "Suzaku Kururugi is no longer alive right?"

"Indeed" she replied as her gaze met with his. "I can only guess that it makes playing as Zero much easier than ever."

Suzaku looked away. "Actually, it makes things much more difficult for me personally." Suzaku paused as he pulled the cloth from his inner garments, staring at the large reddish-brown mark that covered most of the middle. "Of course, this cape is the only thing that worries me."

"How so?" C.C. spoke, slowly turning her gaze towards the white, blood-stained cape.

"I was surprised to see that the cape had been left intact and still at the site of the explosion."

C.C. was caught off guard. "Explosion?"

"Yeah, before Jeremiah and I left, we had been given instructions to destroy the planes other than the main jet so to not raise suspicion as to our disappearance, as well as the stealing of the king's body soon after, when the procession ended. Even though it was not an order, I had secretly placed the cape within the jeep we used to get to the sight, and after leaving, would be caught in the blaze." Suzaku's thoughts returned to that day, somewhat dulling his eyes afterwards. He soon sighed. "I thought that it would have been identified and found by some of the people by now at least. However, when we parted, I returned to the sight and found that nothing had changed; the wreckage was still there, as was the cape within the forest nearby. I thought it would have been destroyed in the blaze, but since it did not, I had decided to use it." Suzaku unfolded the cape and held it open.

"It helped out a lot with the meeting today. It really did…not to mention that tomorrow, I have to meet up with the consulate again…"

C.C. heard Suzaku trailing off into silence. Gazing at the cape, she felt the sting of reality slowly coming over her.

"C.C.?"

"Yeah?"

"Is this good?"

C.C. stood confused at Suzaku's question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that all of this, the Zero Requiem and the struggle for peace, is it all a justification to having sullied his name even more?"

She knew what Suzaku was talking about; however, she had no answer to his comment, although she did open her mouth to speak soon after.

"Should it matter to us, or to anyone for that matter?" C.C. soon turned towards the hallway. "Anyway, I'm going to bed." She glanced back at Suzaku, seeing his gaze solely on the cape, and then soon left the room.

Suzaku stayed rooted to the bed for a while, his attention remaining only on the cape within his hands. His gaze became empty as his mind was soon filled with memories of that day. The night rolled on, and his body grew tired, but his mind would only begin to wander through the memories of days now passed.

* * *

Cornelia had been wandering down countless hallways. She knew that the fatigue and audacity she had witnessed and felt today would be the only lingering thought upon her mind before she turned in. However, she never concluded a day, ever since the last day of the emperor, without making sure of one thing; Nunnally's safety.

Walking down the endless halls, she remarked at how a marvelous enclosure the palace was, at the same time cursing the nameless architect that designed the distance of the halls she now walked in.

Reaching her destination, she soon heard a soft shriek. Cornelia soon hurried her pace towards her young sister's room; the shrieks slowly getting louder. She was shocked to see that the guards were no longer at the door, as well as the doors being left open. When she arrived, she saw the two guards standing in the middle of the room; in front of them, a few attendants that had been assigned to taking care of the palace, as well as surveillance over her, Schneizel, and Nunnally, were kneeling by her sister's bed.

Pushing pass the guards and the attendants, she came to her younger sister's side. Cornelia was aghast at the site of her sibling, curled up and shaking quite vigorously.

"Nunnally!" Cornelia called in haste. When no response came, she cried out to her again. Many times she did this, soon afterwards sending everyone out with one command.

When the doors closed, Cornelia tried to brush her hand against her sister, but Nunnally's movements were sharp to refuse any condolence, her shrieks still resounded within the room. Her eyes were closed, tears slowly falling from the corners of her face. Cornelia took the upfront approach and soon placed herself beside her sister. She carefully grabbed her sister and pulled her into a gentle embrace, one arm around the waist and the other gently petting her hair. The shrieks and movements slowly died down as Cornelia whispered into Nunnally's ear.

"I'm here now, Nunnally" Cornelia started. "Its okay now Nunnally, calm yourself." Her words had some affect as Nunnally's body soon softened up and the shrieks now replaced with small gasps for air. Her eyes still remained closed as her hands soon fell limp at her side.

Cornelia continually hushed her sister as she stroked her hair once more. The room soon fell silent; the sound of Nunnally's panting softly echoing off the walls. Cornelia looked down upon her sister, inwardly smiling that she had calmed down. She soon noticed that Nunnally's mouth had tried to form words she could not hear. Leaning forward towards her face, Cornelia tried to listen.

"…b-ba…b-br…"

Leaning in more, Cornelia could hear Nunnally more clearly.

"G-Give…b-bac…b-bro…"

Going in more, Cornelia soon heard the words Nunnally had spoken through her panting.

"Give me…back my…brother."

Cornelia pulled back as Nunnally gave in to the exhaustion. For a moment, Cornelia gazed in slight amazement at how Nunnally acted, frowning slightly at the notion that she still desired her brother. Cornelia knew that her bond with Euphie was strong, however, she also knew just how strong Nunnally's and Lelouch's was, even stronger than her own.

'_It must be hard' _she thought to herself, _'to have that type of bond.' _Cornelia sighed in defeat as she soon placed Nunnally back under the covers of her bed. She subconsciously wanted to stay beside her for the night; however, she felt that being beside her and to only be able to do so much would probably cause a lot more distress to her young sibling's mind, even if leaving her alone was something that she never felt comfortable of doing in the first place. Kissing Nunnally on the forehead, she soon exited the room.

Out in the hall, walking back to her room, Cornelia could not help but to think back when she was at the meeting. Seeing Zero was really a surprise to her, as well as the other delegates. It baffled her that Zero was still around, and had shown up at the most convenient time.

'_I don't understand it' _she thought as her memory of the meeting flashed across her mind. _'Who is Zero now?' _Another memory flashed across her mind which made Cornelia shook her head in disapproval and soon a flurry of thoughts came into her mind.

'_It can't be him. He's already dead.'_

'_However, only he would speak like that…'_

'_But why would he say such things?'_

'_No, he's already dead. That cape that Zero had is proof of that.'_

'_Could it have been a fake? No, that would be impossible…'_

'_Then who could it be?'_

'_Who is Zero?'_

These thoughts buzzed in her head, even as she returned to her room and turned in for the night.

* * *

Morning came once more to the city. The streets were soon becoming lively as the sun rose from its own peaceful slumber. It was the start of the weekend and most of the inhabitants have begun to rise from their slumber as well. The people awoke to a renewed vigor once more and soon houses and buildings soon bustled with people once more.

At a restaurant near the heart of the city, a young woman sat in a private room, checking her watch as she waited. She opened up her compact and checked her complexion; calm and cheery as ever, she remarked. Putting the compact into her purse, she continued to wait. A few moments passed on without any interruption, making her sigh. She looked down and fixed her blouse. While doing so, she traced the outline of her collarbone, soon coming upon her necklace. She carefully tugged the necklace upward and spotted her locket. Taking it within her hand, she deftly traced her index finger upon it. Her mind had flashed old memories, but went away when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in" she responded.

The door opened to reveal the guest that she had been waiting for. She motioned for the guest to sit down and the door closed afterwards. Alone in the room, her face softened up.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Nina?" she started.

Nina softly smiled. "It has." She looked at the woman in front of her. "It's nice to see you again too Milly."

"Thank you." Milly smiled at Nina then sighed. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine, thanks" Nina responded. "And you?"

"The station is back to what it used to be, but still I find myself with a little bit of time on my hands."

"Oh, really?"

"But it is not something that I'd gripe about."

"Being a T.V. star is that tough?"

"You have no idea." The two soon enjoyed a small laugh together. "It's nice to talk to friends once in a while, but enough about me, what about you?"

"Eh?"

"How's your life going?"

"Well" Nina paused, trying to collect the words to say. "I've been somewhat busy with my work, but I am thankful for whatever help I can get."

"From who exactly?" Milly responded.

"Well, Lloyd and Cecile are with me, so it is not too much of a hassle."

When Milly heard Lloyd's name, she tensed up a bit. "How is Earl-no, how is Lloyd doing?"

Nina noticed her words and felt slightly embarrassed by the realization that she had brought up Milly's ex-fiancé name. "He's fine, though still up to his own antics I guess. Cecile is still the most supportive I figure. Of course, it was only with their help that I have a job, so I am grateful for having them. Even after…" Nina stopped in mid-sentence, realizing that she was treading onto a more serious topic. Although, it was for that reason that she and Milly decided to meet.

Milly knew the topic of the conversation was changing as well, and soon grew more serious than before. Placing her hand on the table calmly, she began to speak.

"I know that I may have not been the most upfront about things like that; however, I find myself still out of the loop about everything. All this time, I still don't fully comprehend what had happened during those days. However, right now, my mind is only on one subject; the truth."

It was then that Milly looked at Nina more sternly.

"How much do you know, Nina?"

Nina stayed silent for a moment, stunned by Milly's abruptness. However, within her, she knew that one day the truth was going to come out.

"Kallen had already told me about him."

This caught Nina's attention even more. "Kallen…told you?"

Milly nodded. "She told me everything about Lelouch; how he became Zero, and how he had given the Japanese people hope to fight against Britannia."

Nina slightly glanced at Milly's hand on the table, now balled into a fist and shaking from the grip Milly had.

"I'll ask you again, how much do you know?" Milly's voice sounded a bit fierce, as if angered by the silence Nina had given her.

The air grew tense as Milly gazed at Nina. Nina somewhat expected this and knew for herself that there was no chance to avoid the conversation, not to mention breaking her promise to Lelouch that she would not repeat what they had spoken about during that time. With that realization, she sighed in defeat.

"I know a little bit about the situation."

Milly couldn't believe that Nina had acknowledged her assumptions. Somewhat shocked, Milly pressed on with her questions.

"Tell me straight up, was Lelouch really Zero?"

"Yes, he was."

"Ever since Zero's debut?"

"He was indeed."

"Do you know why?"

"He…" Nina paused and thought back to the time she had with Lelouch during the last few days of his life. "He did it for Nunnally."

Nina's answer had shocked her. She took some time to let the words sink in and somehow understood why Lelouch had become Zero.

"Originally…" Milly snapped out of her own reverie and turned her attention back to Nina. "He told me that it was originally for her, but then…"

"Then what?"

"He said that he was doing it for the world itself." Nina saw the confused look on Milly, but continued. "He spoke of trying to make the world a more gentle and peaceful place. However, that was after he became Emperor."

"So, when he was Zero, he did it for Nunnally, but when he became Emperor, he did it for the world?"

Nina nodded. "At least that is what he told me…before he died."

Milly truly was shocked to hear the truth about Lelouch's actions. She sat back in her chair, stunned at what she had heard. Shaking the sensation off, she continued to press on.

"Who else knew about Lelouch's plans?"

Nina paused for a moment, taking some moments to think back and remember the people whom were in on the plan.

"There was Lloyd and Cecile, Suzaku and Jeremiah, and even Sayoko."

Milly felt some shock when she heard the names. _'Even Lloyd…and Sayoko too?'_

"They were aware of Lelouch and Suzaku's plan before I was."

"Wait a minute" started Milly. "Lelouch and Suzaku's plan?"

Nina nodded. "I don't know as much about the plan only that it was for the benefit of the world. They called it 'The Zero Requiem'."

"The Zero Requiem?"

"Yes, though I had only agreed to consent to them for a personal reason."

Milly felt overwhelmed by the amount of information she had no clue about. She stayed silent for a while, trying to piece the puzzle together, finding it somewhat difficult to solve.

"It's amazing…" Milly spoke, catching Nina's attention. "To think that Lelouch would go so far and not say a word of it…" Her free hand soon gripped the locket. "I never thought he was so serious about that…"

"About what?"

Milly looked down at the locket and spoke. "I've known Lelouch for so long, and yet the one thing he always spoke of would be the one thing he kept so secretly…" Milly began to laugh at herself for some moments, her hand still gripping the lock. Afterwards, when the laughter died down, her face grew dim. "My best friend, the man whom I toyed with all those times…" She shook her head. "I'm so naïve." Milly soon consoled herself by gazing at her locket.

Nina took notice of Milly's attitude and pondered to herself before speaking.

"That locket…" she pointed down to the necklace.

Milly looked at Nina, then back down towards the locket. "Oh, this locket?"

Nina nodded softly.

Milly took some time and gazed only at the locket. Sighing, she spoke. "I'm such a naïve person, wouldn't you agree?"

Nina paused as she listened to Milly.

"Looking at it now, I may have been too naïve for my age. I thought I knew people, but maybe I only speculated. If it weren't for Lelouch, I might've become something different. His logic, his words, I knew they were serious yet truthful, and I took it for granted." Gazing even more at the locket, Milly became more sullen. "All this time, I didn't want to believe that Lelouch was true to his words. So many times that I tried to lighten his mood, I didn't know that it would push him farther away…"

Nina soon heard soft sobs coming from Milly, whom had covered her face with her hands. "I could have…been more help to him…and yet…" Nina sadly looked down at the table as Milly cried. She knew that what she had told her may have shocked her, but not as much as what had happened then. Nina knew Lelouch for only a few years, but Milly had known Lelouch a lot longer than she.

Milly felt awful that she had been so neglectful to Lelouch's own problems. She pondered whether it meant that Lelouch had harbored those feelings of contempt and vengeance ever since he was exiled. She also realized that she had gone to him when she had problems and came back more refreshed than ever. What made it worse was that she knew that all those times she was cheerful and radiant towards him and trying to get him to smile, and even when she played around with him and troubled him with her own problems, he was still miserable on the inside. Her crying was less helpful considering that it reminded her that he was no longer alive. It truly pained her to think that she had been such terrible friend to him.

When the crying died down, Milly wiped her tears away and gazed back at the locket. She took it off her neck and placed it in her hand.

"Lelouch had been so generous and giving towards me and all that I did was use him to my delight." She opened the locket and glanced over it a few times. The picture of Lelouch smiling and the engraving on the other half were all that she had left of him.

Nina noticed the sad smile upon Milly's face and began to wonder.

"Milly…did you…like Lelouch?"

Milly paused and remembered the days she spent with Lelouch, both when they were young and older. She nodded. "I loved him."

"What?"

"I loved him. It might have been since the time he lived with us that I did start to like him. Over time, I just fell in love with him." Milly sighed sadly. "I wanted to say it for so long, but I guess that I waited too long to do so, and lost my chance."

Nina felt shocked to hear that Milly had liked Lelouch. "Do you…hate Shirley for being the first one to do so?"

Milly shook her head. "In a sense, I figured that it was too late to try. We had such a good friendship going for so long, I didn't want to ruin it by trying to become more than friends. So, I left the option out for someone else."

"Do you…regret it?"

Milly softly nodded. "Maybe…" She soon smiled as best as she could. "But looking back at how he matured, I think it was fine that I did not, or else I'd face rejection like all the others." She softly laughed at the irony. "But he will always be special to me."

"That sounds fine."

Milly smiled widely. "Thanks for the talk. It was…nice that you could indulge me with it."

"No problem…" Nina replied. "However, I must ask that you please not speak a word of this to anyone. You must promise me that you will not."

"Why can't I?"

"I have already broken my promise to Lelouch by speaking to you about this. He was very intent on keeping things secret, and though he trusted me, I have already betrayed it."

Milly paused at Nina's plea. She soon nodded. "I understand Nina. Besides, I'm good at keeping secrets."

"Thanks Milly." Nina soon stood up from her seat and headed for the door.

"Wait…" Milly spoke, stopping Nina as she neared the doorknob.

"What is it?" Nina replied and turned toward Milly.

"You know…There will be a fireworks display at the school coming up, and I was hoping that you could tag along."

Nina smiled. "I guess I could go with you."

"Thanks Nina, I'll call you when Rivalz has the date ready."

"Okay then, I'll see you later Milly."

"Take care, Nina."

The door soon closed behind Nina. Milly smiled and remarked at how Nina had matured within two years. She turned her gaze towards the window and saw the sun shining brightly in the sky. Holding onto the locket, she sighed and smiled once more towards the sky.

'_You really are something else, Lelouch.'_

* * *

The day passed by and soon the sun was close to setting. The orange sky glowed as the streets of the city became even more crowded than usual. Kallen had been out grocery shopping for the dinner she would make for her and her mother. Within her arms were bags of various edible items she would use to make a fine meal. The crowded streets did not help at all however. Kallen knew how to dodge the onslaught of people most of the time, but still she bumped into many. When she was in the clear, she sighed and walked home with a sense of victory.

That feeling however went away when she unknowingly bumped into a stranger, causing most of the groceries to slip from her hand and onto the ground.

"I'm sorry, young lady, I didn't…" the stranger's sentence was cut short and soon, he disappeared among the crowd.

Kallen gathered the fallen items, sighing at the fact that they were still usable and soon walked home, somewhat intrigued by the stranger that she bumped into.

'_His voice sounded…familiar'_ she thought to herself. Shaking the feeling off, she continued towards her house.

"I'm home" she yelled as she entered the front door. "I'm sorry I took so long." Placing the groceries down on the table, Kallen lurked around and saw that her mother was in the living room.

"Welcome home, dear" her mother responded.

"What are you watching mom?" Kallen asked as she hugged her mother.

"Oh, just the news my dear."

"Okay then" Kallen replied. "I'm going to sort the food out, and then I'll cook dinner." She went into the kitchen and started unloading the groceries, all the while listening to the news when she could. Though, what remained in her mind was the encounter with the stranger.

'_Why does his voice sound familiar to me?'_

After the supplies were put away, Kallen began to tie an apron around her, the sound of the news now clearer than ever.

"_This just in, the delegates of the world are about to make an important announcement." _

This caught Kallen's attention, and soon she went into the living room to watch the news.

"_We now go live to the scene where the worlds' delegates have arranged the meeting." _

The image soon turned to that of the meeting area. Most of the delegates had been in the back behind Ohgi, whom was at the podium. The audience at the meeting was mostly journalists and news anchors. A silence came over the audience as Ohgi began to speak.

"_People of the world, we all have striven for peace between ourselves, but now is a time when we must be peaceful to others, not only those of other races or creeds, but to other countries as well. We must seek to better understand one another's pain and suffering, and with it, alleviate and heal the wounds of past discretion."_

Kallen smirked, yet wished the best of luck to her former comrade when she heard the audience clap.

"_With me now is a person to whom we owe a great debt to. This person is a hero to many and to all. It is this person that helped us realize the real goal towards obtaining and sustaining this peaceful era. May I present…" _

The audience's eyes widened as awes filled the room. The figure that Ohgi had introduced had walked to the podium in a triumphant, yet nonchalant manner. Every person fell silent as the figure raised his hands towards the audience.

"_People of the world…"_

Kallen's mother turned and saw her daughter; her eyes were wide with shock, mouth agape at first, but then she started to grit her teeth, her hands balling up into fists.

"_I am Zero!"_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Okay, this one went way longer than I thought it would be. As you may have heard/read, I've been writing up another story called "Lovely Sorrow". I am pointing out that I have another story going, nothing else, go see it if you want. In any case, here are the main points to the chapter: 1) I wanted to make this into a closure chapter for Milly, hence why she has a longer piece in this chapter than any other. Of course, this is to say that she needed to be given a straight answer by one whom had worked closer to Lelouch than her. That being so, I had Nina do so since Kallen had already given her side of the story to Milly (I will go into detail about that later in another chapter, hopefully). So, yeah a bit of closure there for Milly. 2) I had put C.C. in here just to show that she had not disappeared from the story thusly. I will have her talking more later on in another chapter. 3) In Nunnally's case, I had to give her some type of negativity, and since she technically received the memories of Lelouch, it will be tough on her even more so later on in the story. 4) The world reps at the meeting are just to provide support for Zero/Suzaku. 5) The action for Kallen has not faded yet. I will have her in the later chapter (probably next one). She is probably going to be the next one who needs closure. In any case, that is the explanation for the chapter. I hope that I haven't left out any vital explanations, and that you all have not waited too long for this update. I thank you all for sticking with the story. Comments and reviews are appreciated. Thanks again for all your support.


	27. The Turning Point 2: Red Present

The twilight had disappeared from the afternoon and soon the light from the moon illuminated the city. All was quiet as the night grew closer to the world.

After dinner, Kallen had taken care of her usual chores; first, and foremost tending to her mother's needs before the eventual sleep for the night. Afterwards, she resumed by cleaning the dishes and then tending to her homework.

However, Kallen had been nagged by a few events that led up to the night. Her head buzzed with fierce emotions, causing her focus to veer away from her homework. She sat at her desk for a while, staring at the ceiling. Her mind buzzed with so many questions; at the same time, her heart had been filled with a plethora of emotions. It ate away at her little by little as the night went on.

She had found no calming peace even when going to bed. She forcibly closed her eyes and tried as hard as she could to sleep in peace. All was mostly in vain, and soon, she found herself wide awake even after an hour or so. Her eyes were open as she gazed at the dark corners of the room. All that met her sight were shadows. Turning over and gazing out the window, Kallen saw the bright glow of the moon. The sight brought up memories of the events that recently happened. The voices of the past rang through her head.

"_We must stand unite, all of us!"_

Kallen rolled once more, the voice booming louder.

"_We now have to move forward into the future, into the peaceful world which we now hold!"_

"_We have all pursued our own sense of justice and retribution, and it stands to reason that we must continue to do so for the sake of the world."_

Kallen rolled onto her opposite side in frustration, desperately trying to shut the voice in her head.

"_But hate not that which stands now, but what has stood amongst, or against us. We as people and as representatives of the world must see this. We have been united under so many things in the past, but the one bond we shared but only a few months ago is slowly being deteriorated, causing the peace that stands today to slowly slip from our hands. I implore you, representatives, and people of the world; do not let this peace disappear so easily."_

Kallen cringed and stirred from her place, her eyes now fiercely closed. The voice continued.

"_This here is the only thing remaining of that bond we shared. This stands as a testament to that which should never be forgotten. Our conflict, our struggles, all of it is the evidence that we stood as one. This is that which not only stood against our ideals, but also helped to strengthen our convictions and duties to one another. There will be those that will object to this, but do not condemn those who believe otherwise. Do not hate that which was controlled by this either. No, what we must hate is that which embodied the form of malice and discord."_

"_As it stands, the country of Britannia is now in shambles. I am aware that Britannia's history is one that was favorable to the strong and powerful. However, it only became like that due to the power shifting between rulers. Those rulers did not see the will of the people and only sought to strengthen their own status. The past emperors of Britannia are the ones most responsible for the country's policies and actions. However, now its people are recovering from the crippling structure, and are freed from its tyrants."_

"_I propose, nay, implore you to look upon them as you would any other. I have faith in them to understand now the consequences of pursuing status over the welfare of others. Justice has redeemed them from their pious ways, and has given the country a chance to start over. But they cannot do so alone. We, as one world, must seek to bring peace to their troubled minds, and in turn, seek to unite under the banner of peace."_

Kallen gripped her sheets harder and curled up into a fetal position.

"_But with peace, there must also be hatred. This is the way of the world. If we seek peace and understanding, we must first know what to hate. As I mentioned, there will be those who object to the idea, however do not scorn that which pursues peace. Do not hate Britannians or Britannia for its past; rather, hate that which made it so. Specifically, we must hate that which brought forth chaos and discord to peace. We must…"_

The voice echoed as it spoke the final words.

"_We must hate Lelouch vi Britannia, the symbol of hatred that once trampled our hopes for peace!"_

Kallen's eyes shot wide open and soon she sat up in bed, sweat slowly forming upon her brow. The voice soon disappeared. Panting, Kallen wiped her forehead and stared blindly into the empty void within her room. The shadows that surrounded her revealed only more trouble for her psyche. She knew that what she heard was no lie, but she still could not believe the thought of it actually coming true. The thought of the world hating Lelouch was bad enough; however, it made things worse for Kallen when she had remembered what she had assumed that day, at the death march. She had thought him so selfish at one point, yet when things came to an end, Kallen had begun to regret her decisions. To her, Lelouch may have been the most selfless person she could, or would ever know. She was filled with a strange mix of sorrow and anger at that moment; crossed between a sorrow for having betrayed Lelouch, and hating the new Zero. For sure, she did not like the new Zero one bit.

Kallen's cell phone rumbled quietly upon her nightstand. Picking it up, she took a glance at the caller ID. Shaking her head, she opened the phone and spoke.

"Hello?"

"Hey Kallen" said the voice.

"Ohgi? Why are you calling me?"

"I'm pretty sure that you've heard by now, but Zero is back."

Kallen paused in silence, feeling a tinge of anger boiling.

"Did you hear me Kallen?"

"Yeah I heard. So why are you calling me?"

Her voice had sounded annoyed to Ohgi. "Well, I thought that you might be interested in seeing him."

"And why is that?"

"Well, I had been thinking about having him reunite the Black Knights."

"Why the hell would you want to do that?" Her voice became more annoyed.

"Well since Zero was our leader…you know…"

Kallen became frustrated with every passing second. "Look, I don't really want to talk about that right now. I just…" A thought dawned on Kallen as she quieted down.

"Kallen? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I am. I was giving it some thought, and I guess you could do that."

"That's a relief, considering…"

"Considering what?"

"Well, Zero had declined at first, but for some reason, he came around and told me to do so."

"Oh he did?"

"In any case, meet us tomorrow, probably at noon, at our previous hideout."

"You mean the one we hijacked from the Britannians?"

"Yeah, I think we still have it stashed in the ghetto."

"Fine, I'll be there."

"Okay then, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, okay." Kallen ended the call. A small smile soon appeared on her face.

'_Tomorrow's my only chance. I'll get there early so that I can finally confront this Zero.' _

Surprisingly, Kallen felt more at ease than before and was able to go to sleep soon after.

Morning came, and almost instantly, Kallen saw the effects of Zero's speech. On the news, when both Kallen and her mother were eating breakfast, reports poured in with perspectives on the new era of peace and of peaceful delegations between countries, all seemingly united under the thought of peace. But to her, it felt more like a bond of hatred towards the now deceased emperor. When channel surfing, Kallen saw that most news programs, including KT Television, were running nonstop with Lelouch-related news; some were of post-war perspectives, others were about his actions as emperor and assumptions as to why, all the while contributing to the effort of defaming Lelouch's already blackened name. To Kallen, the public riots and celebrations of Lelouch's death were more acceptable than what she had seen on the news.

Kallen glanced over to the clock; 8:23 a.m.

'_It is still too early to go to the meeting'_ she thought to herself, a small grin coming from her face. _'No need to hurry myself, there is still a lot of time before I meet with Zero.'_ Kallen glanced at the clock one more time, and then proceeded to clear the table.

Far on the other side of the city, Suzaku had woken up from his rest. He sat in bed and gazed at the wall in front of him. Met with only silence, he proceeded to get up from his rest. After getting to the bathroom, Suzaku gazed into the mirror and scanned his features. He slightly frowned at his sullen figure; weary eyes and a slightly paling composure were testaments of his guilt following the last few days. Rubbing his face of what little sleep it had retained, Suzaku continued on with his usual morning duties. Mid way through, he glanced at his clock and saw the time reading close to nine 'o clock. A spark of remembrance passed through his brain.

"Right, I have to meet with the Black Knights today" he stated to himself. Suzaku proceeded to his closet and began to collect the Zero outfit he had used for his public appearances. Putting on his usual disguise, Suzaku walked out through his room and into the hallway. Passing by C.C.'s room, he paused. The door was closed. He opened his mouth to speak, however quickly closed it and looked away. Somehow, he felt awful for having been at the meeting yesterday, more so that he had rallied the world into a perpetual state of hatred for his now deceased friend. He soon sighed and continued to walk. Close to the stairs, Suzaku heard a door creaking open.

"Heading off again Suzaku?"

Suzaku turned and saw C.C. holding her plush, her figure still within her room.

"Yeah, I have a meeting with the Black Knights" he replied flatly.

"Where are you supposed to meet this time?"

"Ohgi said to meet them at the old hideout in Shinjuku."

"They must be talking about 'that' hideout." C.C. sighed.

"What do you mean by 'that' hideout? And how do you know where it is?"

"Thanks to a few lookouts under Lelouch's control, we've known where their hideout was for a while."

Suzaku sighed. "How convenient for you two…"

"It was the first actual headquarters of the Black Knights." C.C. paused to remember the hideout. "It is a Britannian vehicle big enough to hold the main core of the Black Knights. It might not be hard to locate it once you are there; they would have had to stash it somewhere big."

"Thanks for the info C.C." Suzaku replied in relief. "At least now I know what it looks like. I'll see you later." Suzaku soon continued down the stairs and eventually out into the open area.

The city was alive with its usual inhabitants. Cars once again whizzed by and people began to converse about daily life; although, most people had not hesitated when they spoke about the Demon Emperor. However due to the former ban on public displays and the recent declaration of hate towards the deceased emperor, most people have found a comfortable, and acceptable method to hating his memory.

Kallen, dressed in a regular red shirt and blue shorts, had inwardly cringed every time she heard a person proclaim hate for the emperor. She semi-understood their purpose for loathing the memory of Lelouch, however to her, it was as if they were beating a dead horse. Her face was solid with a miniscule frown, but barely anyone glanced at her way for it.

She took her own way down to the Shinjuku ghettos, taking quite a bit of time in comparison to the commonly used trams and buses. Mostly she did it to clear her mind and focus on the goal she had set early on in the day. Of course, walking past such places on the way made her reminisce about days that passed; younger times when the war never started. In doing so, her calm demeanor began to drift as she neared the ghettos.

Upon arriving, she gazed out towards the ruins of Shinjuku, now abandoned of its own inhabitants; if there were any left however. The dilapidated shacks and old buildings, covered with bullet holes and dried blood, stood hunched over by the terrible weight of ever-present death. Most of the bodies had been taken out of the ghetto, but due to those that weren't salvaged, Shinjuku became known as just one big graveyard. The smell of rot and decay faintly flared within Kallen's nose. It was a bit strong initially, but the more she ventured in, the more used to it she got, until she reached her destination.

Overlooking the ghettos, Suzaku gazed in reminiscent horror as the once big city of the past now became nothing more than blackened ruins, somewhat standing as a testament to Japan's own insufficient power against Britannia. Heading into the ghettos, he could only feel slightly irked by the amount of destruction Shinjuku had received over the last few years. Walking along the clear path, the scenery reminded Suzaku of the time he had escorted Lelouch and Nunnally to the main Kururugi house, traveling through the stench of death around them. He had cringed when he remembered how caring Nunnally was to him and how heartless Lelouch had seemed when describing the scene to Nunnally, labeling the smell as the kind one would find passing by a dumpster. Shaking his head, Suzaku looked forward and saw a rundown warehouse a distance away.

"It has to be there" said Suzaku as he hurried along.

At the entrance, Suzaku quickly placed his bag down and got dressed in Zero's clothing. Glancing down at his watch, he took notice of the time:

10:50 a.m.

"I'm a bit early, but it should give me some time to search the area."

Putting on the mask, Suzaku ventured into the warehouse via the side door. It was initially dark inside; the only light was supplied by the sun. Of course, with the little light supplied, Suzaku saw evidence of the vehicle that C.C. had talked about. For a moment he was amazed to see the "hideout" of the Black Knights. Taking a stroll around it, he realized just how huge it was. Reaching towards the right side, Suzaku was alarmed at a peculiar sight.

'_The door is opened'_ he alerted to himself. Cautiously, he approached the entrance. Peering into the vehicle, he was met with emptiness. The inside of the vehicle was darkened and eerily quiet. Taking extra precaution, he entered the hideout. Though his eyes were already adjusted to the dark interior, the mask had little effect in limiting his perception. Instinctively feeling the area, he slowly made his way through the first level and reached the stairs. Ascending upward, he used his hands to feel the railing and walls. When he hit a short depression in his perception, he turned to his right and saw a small panel. He pressed the single button upon the console and soon the door opened.

Entering the door, Suzaku felt a small switch upon the wall. Pressing it, the lights soon flickered on. Around him was nothing but a lonely screen, a seat and a few drawers. Searching through the drawers, Suzaku found only pieces of paper with old statistics and plans utilizing the Black Knights. Checking the drawer under the screen, he took the contents and gazed at them; a small picture of Zero's comrades, a picture of Nunnally smiling, and a small folded note. Putting the pictures aside, he took the note and unfolded it. The note was recently new and read:

"_Behind you"_

Suzaku suddenly heard the sound of small footsteps very close to his own position. He quickly turned around and was nearly caught off guard by an assailant. Using his left hand, he gripped the arm subconsciously, halting the assailant's approach. Gazing down at the arm, he saw a familiar weapon; a small bag with a hidden knife. Glancing upward, he saw yet another familiar face.

"Kallen Kouzuki…" he stated while holding down the blade. He looked over her face, twisted in what seemed to be anger, with a look of vengeance in her eyes. "What are you…?"

"I have you now you little faker!" With her words, she twisted her arm free of his grasp and jolted forward, the blade now pointed higher and brought closer to her.

Suzaku saw this action and immediately ducked passed her attack and darted towards the door. Rushing down the stairs, Suzaku headed for the exit, only to be cornered by Kallen once more after she jumped the railing and in front of the exit.

"Where do you think you're going you fake?!" She jolted once more with her blade.

Suzaku once again saw this, but this time moved in and used her own momentum to throw her over his own shoulder. He darted once more out of the hideout.

Kallen recoiled and sprinted after him.

Suzaku knew that he could outrun her advances; however in his mind, he knew that she would only come after him even more. Stopping, he stood undaunted in the light. Kallen soon copied his actions and stopped just a few feet away. Both were slightly out of breath.

"Kallen…" started Suzaku, but was met with no response. "Q-1…"

The instant she heard those words, she fiercely tensed up. "Don't call me by that name!" Her eyes darkened as she shouted. She once again charged at Suzaku.

"Kallen…" he spoke as he dodged her attacks. "Why are you doing this?"

She began to speak as she attacked. "You are not Zero! You are just a goddamned liar!"

Both had matched each other's speed and agility; however Kallen was the only one attacking.

"I am Zero, Kallen."

"No, you're not!" She jumped and aimed a kick at Suzaku's head, only to be blocked by his forearm. Jumping off and back to her position, she raised her blade once more.

"You don't need to do this Kallen."

"You smug bastard!" she shouted as she charged once more, this time ducking and weaving to try and confuse him. Raising her blade, she struck.

Suzaku saw this and dodge back, seeing the blade only skimming the part of the cape close to his neck. He braced his back foot and pushed Kallen away with his palm, sending her a few feet back and landing on her back. He watched as she rose to her feet once more.

"Kallen, you must stop this."

Breathing heavily, Kallen spoke. "I can't let this go by…"

"What do you mean?"

"Everything! All of your actions up until now…I can't tolerate them. I can no longer tolerate your existence!"

Her words confused Suzaku.

"You should be dead." She glanced up at Suzaku. "You should not be here. I defeated you!"

Suzaku suddenly knew what she was going on about. "What are you talking about? I am Zero."

"Don't say that name! You are not Zero! You are not the Zero that I served under!"

Suzaku stood by as she began to speak.

"I know who you are. You are Suzaku Kururugi."

Suzaku froze when he heard his name.

"Is this all part of your plan? Is this all a part of your twisted plan? You may have the people fooled, but not me! I will never be fooled by you!"

"You are not making any sense…"

"Don't play dumb, I've always known since that day; the day you killed Lelouch! I saw it then and there; he smiled the moment you drew that blade towards him. He fucking smiled! He did not plea for his life like a coward, he just smiled then and there." Kallen had begun to chuckle to herself. Slowly it grew louder and louder. "It was all a part of your plan wasn't it; to kill Lelouch in order to give peace to the world? It was all a part of your plan wasn't it? To give everyone a peaceful life? Who would've thought that you, the man who betrayed every single person in the world, just like him, would end up killing your best friend?" Kallen started to cackle madly. "And now you seek to further blacken his name?!"

Suzaku straightened himself up and calmed his troubled mind. _'She's dangerous enough, even without that blade. I have to get it out of her grasp.'_

"And what's more is that you are parading around in his clothing, pretending to be Zero! You are certainly a real piece of work!"

"I am Zero, Kallen."

"You still…" Kallen trembled at Suzaku's words. "You still refer to yourself as Zero?! I told you before, you are not Zero!" In an instant, Kallen lunged toward Suzaku, stabbing wildly when up close. "You took his trust, you took his life, and now you are taking his legacy and destroying his memory?!"

"Kallen, I don't want to hurt you."

"But you already have!" Kallen soon ducked and used her leg to sweep Suzaku off his and onto the ground. Afterwards, she pounced upon him with the blade coming down upon him, only to be blocked by his grip on her arm.

"Kallen…"

"You are the worst. You already took his life, why must you twist the memories of his existence?"

Suzaku noticed that tears were dropping onto his mask. He took a glance at Kallen and saw that her face was contorted with anger and sadness.

"All I hear from everyone now is how evil Lelouch was, how tyrannical he was as Emperor, and how equal he is to the devil. The students at school speak so badly of him; the teachers use him as references to the worst times in history, nearly overshadowing any and all aspect of ill will. Not only that, but even other schools are defaming his name. I've seen plays that depict him as the main villain in the plot. All I see are smiles as his image is blackened. They don't even see his good side anymore. It's as if he never had been kind once in his life.

"And who is to blame for this? You of course! You have made the people applaud whenever you defame Lelouch. You publicly named him an outcast and are seeking to further his good name from the truth. Do you have any decency at all for anything?!"

Suzaku struggled to get a footing on the situation. Propping his knee up, he managed to throw Kallen off and immediately rose up, alert to her movements.

"His death facilitated peace. What more can anyone want?" Suzaku knew that his words were cold, despite the fact that it was true. He understood that his sins now would never be atoned for unless he protects the peace that he and Lelouch had wanted for the world.

"I want…" Kallen started, breathing heavily once more. "I want you to die. I want you to disappear from this world. The man known as Zero died that day you took his life. I cannot stand the fact that you are alive while he is dead! So please…" Kallen soon lunged once more, with more force than ever. "Just die already!!"

Suzaku braced himself for the attack. At the right moment, Suzaku tore the cape from his shoulders and clouded Kallen's vision with it. He sensed that her advance did not stop. Taking advantage once more, he sidestepped out of the way, tripping her with his own foot. A loud thud echoed as she hit the ground. Suzaku noticed that the blade had landed a few inches from her grasp. Before Kallen could pull the cape from her sight, Suzaku lunged forward and grasped the knife. Returning to Kallen, he planted a hard kick into her stomach. Seeing her doubling over in pain gave him the chance he needed. Swiftly taking the cape, Suzaku had tied both her legs together; afterwards, taking her by the right arm and applying pressure to her stomach using his right leg, he moved the blade up to her throat.

Feeling the adrenaline rushing, Suzaku breathed quickly as he stared Kallen in the face, her eyes wide in horror and her mouth frozen into a mild frown.

"Do you want to die?!" he shouted, pressing the blade towards her neck.

Kallen's face never softened until a few moments later. "Do it" she replied as she looked away.

Suzaku was slightly surprised to hear her reply.

"If it means going to where he is…I'd rather die now than to live any longer." She quickly glanced back at Suzaku. "Kill me!"

Suzaku trembled as he raised the blade, the end of it carefully aimed to her neck. Kallen closed her eyes. Suzaku yelled once and brought the knife down hard.

*Clack!*

Kallen opened her eyes slowly, a bright light shining in her face. _'Am I dead?' _she thought to herself. The next thing she saw was Zero's mask. Glancing to her left, she saw her blade, narrowly missing her neck. "You…"

"Suzaku Kururugi is dead."

Kallen glanced at Suzaku, meeting only the mask of Zero. Staring into the faceplate, she could not see beyond it. She only saw her reflection.

Suzaku rose up sat down beside Kallen. "Suzaku Kururugi is no longer alive. He, too, died that day. Underneath this mask is a man with only one name; Zero."

Kallen glanced at him and saw nothing; no emotion nor retaliation. Turning her gaze towards the ceiling, she felt hot tears spilling forth, and soon she cried.

Suzaku looked at her as she cried, feeling nothing but remorse for her pain. He saw her flail around in sadness, before finally resting her body down. The sobs echoed through the warehouse, trembling not only the surrounding, but Suzaku as well. He had not fully grasped her sorrow until she spoke again.

"I want to see him…" Kallen spoke softly. "I want to see him one last time."

"Why?" Suzaku spoke.

"I never got to apologize for betraying him."

Suzaku sighed. "Is that it?"

"No, I want to apologize for everything. I believed in him since the beginning. I knew that when he came back after that year, I thought that I would hate him for deserting the Black Knights. But when I realized just how alone he was after that F.L.E.I.A. incident, I ended up betraying him like the last time. I left him to suffer, just like he did us. He sacrificed a lot for everyone even after one year as Zero."

Kallen fell silent after she spoke, frozen by the memories of the past.

"There were so many times back then, even outside of the Black Knights. Yet all this time, I stood by as his trusted subordinate."

"You were not happy with just being that?"

Kallen shook her head. "It was because of the hope that he gave everyone, including the Black Knights; hope that the world will change and that our struggle would have not been in vain. I was appointed his captain and main bodyguard, yet what I could not protect the most was his heart."

"His heart?"

Kallen nodded. "I think that it was his heart that needed protecting. He placed his whole being against Britannia, and won, but what did that leave for his own desire?"

"His desire was only to change the world…"

"I find that hard to believe. He had to have had his own desire and not one connected to anyone else."

"Wasn't it vengeance against Britannia?"

"It can't have only been that. He must've had a desire for himself…" Kallen trailed off.

"Are you trying to justify a reason that he should have lived?"

Kallen looked at Suzaku in astonishment.

"What purpose is there now to give him that reason you desire? Lelouch desired only the utmost in destruction. His will was only for the creation of his world."

Kallen felt the fury rising again; however she could not treat him as if he were still Suzaku Kururugi.

"Lelouch vi Britannia was a man who desired the destruction of Britannia and the subjugation of the world; nothing more, nothing less." Suzaku knew that what he had said was only true at face value. He knew that underneath those destructive plans was one that came true after he died. It was a plan that would satisfy the world more so than his existence.

"That is the truth the people must accept."

Kallen understood the words that Suzaku had said. For a time, the two sat in silence.

"I don't want to accept that."

"You'd have to for the sake of the world."

Kallen cringed when he mentioned the world.

"This world is in need of a convenient lie; one that will help them progress to the future. If peace is to stand now, we must hate that which has wronged us, even if it is gone." Suzaku glanced over to Kallen. "Even if it means swallowing the guilt of having created that lie, I will do my utmost to preserve this peace until it is no longer needed. You too must live with the guilt of having betrayed your comrade in the end."

Kallen scoffed at his words, inwardly noting that his words were similar to those in her nightmares.

"I am not going to admit that it is heartless to blacken his name, only that he would have wanted it done so if it meant retaining peace."

Kallen sighed. "Why did it have to be Lelouch to suffer this?"

"It is because he was the only one willing enough to do so, even more than Suzaku Kururugi." Suzaku took a deep breath and spoke. "Both of them had a plan; the Zero Requiem. It was done so because both had nothing else to lose. They sought to correct the world and change Britannia. Afterwards, they would have shown the world the true destructive nature of power; such power as to rule the entire world. The hatred for them would soon skyrocket to biblical proportions. When hatred is focused onto one aspect, it would combine those who hated one another and would unify them by a deciding factor, limiting and soon making them forget that they had once been enemies. But it also required that the hatred would last for as long as possible. If one should die, then the other would become the symbol of hatred needed for the plan to work. Since Suzaku Kururugi was killed in combat, it would leave Lelouch vi Britannia as the symbol. His will was stronger in that he had been corrupt since the beginning, using a power that no one else had, to commit acts that no one else would. When the time was right, the true symbol of justice would come and free the world of that tyrant, but the hate would still have to linger. Thus peace is given to the people while the hatred for others would be focused onto one individual."

Kallen glanced over to Zero once more and saw him approaching her. "You still deny that you are Suzaku Kururugi?"

"Would it make any difference?" he retorted, slowly moving towards her legs. "If you wish to destroy the peace that the world has now, then by all means reveal my identity. Tell the world of this plan that you have heard from me. I will answer to my sins one day, but I will not have it now that peace has been restored." After untying Kallen, Suzaku stood and placed his cape around his shoulders. "If you wish to destroy peace, then by all means strike the symbol of justice down now. However, if you choose to, then I have no choice but to take your life." Suzaku soon pulled out a gun from his coat pocket and pointed it at her. "I am not ready to die just yet."

Kallen took the blade from the ground and stared at Suzaku. Fiercely gazing at him, she couldn't help but to understand that peace was needed now more than ever. She did not deny her feelings of vengeance; however she did not want to have more people die because of it. She soon withdrew her blade, causing Suzaku to withdraw his gun.

"I'll go along with this peace. But know this; you are not the Zero I serve."

"I wouldn't have it any other way Kallen." Suzaku soon glanced at his watch:

11:30 a.m.

"It's almost time" he stated flatly. "They'll be here in half an hour."

"Yeah…" Kallen brushed herself off. "Um, Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you want to meet with us?"

Suzaku stood silent and pondered her words. "You'll see when the time comes."

Kallen opened her mouth to reply, however she closed it when she found that words spoken now were really meaningless.

By the time it was noon, the two had seen a group of individuals coming into view. Most of them had been the major position holders, as well as original members in the Black Knights, including Toudou, Ohgi, and Kaguya. When they came toward the warehouse, Kallen welcomed them first. Much to their expectation, Suzaku soon came through the door of the warehouse and was met with surprised looks.

"Zero!" Suzaku saw Ohgi coming up to him. "I'm glad that you could make it."

"The same here Ohgi" replied Suzaku. "I'm glad that you could bring the rest."

"Well, I couldn't bring them all, considering that it would look somewhat suspicious."

"Are you" spoke Toudou, "Are you really Zero?"

"Yeah, is he really Zero?" spoke Tamaki.

Suzaku froze for a moment before Kallen intervened.

"Let's get down to the question at hand." She turned to face Suzaku. "Why did you want to meet with us Zero?"

Suzaku glanced at Kallen, mentally thanking her for intervening.

"I'm glad that you could meet me here. The reason for my calling upon all of you…" Suzaku glanced over at the entire group and sighed.

"I am officially disbanding the Black Knights."

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: Well, another chapter down. Slowly, I am beginning to end the story. I am thankful for all of your patience, my fellow readers. In any case, I will now get to the explanations. Okay, I wanted this chapter to be more for Kallen's closure than anyone else. Once again, I used the same tactic to end this chapter like the last one; with a cliffhanger. Hopefully this will not deter any of you. Now onto the characters. I wanted to have Kallen seething with anger due to the fact that Suzaku is now the new Zero and is thusly declaring war against Lelouch's name for the sake of peace. Her nightmare is in fact the meeting that Zero had during the end of the previous chapter, so hopefully there is no need for an explanation. If she seems like OOC, please look at it this way; since she had some feelings for Lelouch and had somewhat understood his and Suzaku's plan, she must have been left with a sense of disillusion and needed to find her own answer. In order to do so, she had to go after Suzaku as Zero. She indeed revered Lelouch as Zero and probably loved him as well as his alter ego. Her anger is directed to the fact that Zero is trying to make Lelouch out to be a villain with no sympathy, even though she knew that he had it for his own friends. This is only partial closure for Kallen, so there will be more closure (hopefully) in later chapters. In any case, I hope you have fun reading this new chapter. Thank you once again for your support. Reviews and comments are once again appreciated. I will see you next time with another chapter.


	28. The Turning Point 3: Black & White

The air whisked by as the news sunk into the group's brains. The silence was to be expected considering the magnitude of the announcement. Suzaku gazed at their surprised faces and smirked. He knew that it would have come as a shock at any moment; however, the news seemed more appropriate now more than ever.

"Disband…the Black Knights?" spoke Ohgi, glancing back at his comrades for a moment. He understood quite easily that each would have been nonetheless shocked at such news. Turning back towards Zero, he continued.

"Can you tell us why?"

"Ohgi, what are we aiming for now? Do you remember?"

"We…" Ohgi paused and recollected his memory. "We are trying to maintain peace."

"Indeed, however we, more importantly, have personally sponsored such a belief since the beginning. Everyone here seeks peace not only for them, but for the whole world, am I right?" The silence that came from the group had been a confirming gesture. "In order to do so, we all fought to gain freedom and peace. We all have fought against the tyranny of the old world; to destroy and recreate anew. It is there that we knew that freedom and peace were possible.

"Back then, we, as the Black Knights, fought against Britannia, to bring liberty to Japan. We were relied upon then more than ever, but now, what are we to do? Think about it, if we remain, we will surely be feared by the world. This is a peaceful age, thus, we must show the world that we too are willing to lay down our weapons for the sake of peace."

Suzaku saw a few concerned looks upon the group. He understood that most were probably still filled with pride, having been known as Black Knight members. He knew it as well that he felt some pride when he too was considered an Honorary Britannian and as a Knight of the Rounds. However, he also knew that a title is nothing but a label that means nothing. He glanced towards Kallen, not faltering at his command.

"In truth, this is for the best of the world. If we show any reason for provocation, then the world will see us as overly cautious and begin to distrust us." Suzaku glanced at the faces of the members once more, seeing that most of what he had said was sinking into their minds.

"If it's your command" began Ohgi, "then I will abide by it."

"I guess I'll go with it as well." All eyes turned towards Tamaki. "If you say so, then fine."

'_There goes my trump card for the ladies…'_

"I…" The attention was soon shifted towards Toudou. "I too will lay down my sword for the sake of peace, Zero."

Suzaku smiled softly to himself, carefully hiding the growth as the rest of the group began to accept his command. Turning towards Kallen, he saw that she too had somewhat accepted his proposal, albeit frowning with harsh eyes.

"It is agreed then, the Black Knights will be officially disbanding. I will be announcing it at the next conference. That is all."

Around this time, some of the group began to disperse from the area. Suzaku noticed that only he, Kallen, along with Toudou and Ohgi remained. To him, the group consisted of those whom he understood had known and seen the works of the original Zero.

"Everyone…"

"Zero" started Ohgi. "I know that we have done so much for this world. Not only that, but we have done so much to change the thinking of the world itself. Do you believe that this will work out?"

"Huh? Why do you hesitate now?"

"No, it's just that…" Ohgi found it hard to find the words to say to Zero. "It's just that, what we have committed ourselves to do…are you sure it will work?"

"It will have to" stated Toudou. "However, one thing still remains unanswered." His gaze shifted towards Zero. In his mind, Toudou felt uneasy as he gazed at his leader. "Do you believe this will work?"

Suzaku stood silent for a moment, and then spoke. "It will have to" he paused, "No, it must happen. We have sacrificed so many things for this peace. We must be willing to do everything to make it work."

Toudou gazed at Zero more sternly, analyzing his stance and determination. Though the man wore a mask, Toudou could feel the gaze staring back at him in confirmation. Toudou's sixth sense buzzed a bit, finding the manner quite nostalgic. His doubts slowly deteriorated as he continued to gaze at Zero, their leader. Smirking, Toudou spoke. "You really have surpassed my expectations Zero." Toudou turned and walked away from the group. _'You have definitely grown into a responsible man…'_

Ohgi glanced at Toudou and sighed. "Zero…" He turned back toward Zero. "I think that…this is really what the world needs now."

"Yes, as well as a strong leader to guide the people towards that goal."

"Indeed Zero, however I have not really been a great leader…" Ohgi lowered his head, realizing his faults and weakness as a leader not only for Japan, but during the war.

"You are mistaken Ohgi."

Ohgi glanced up at Zero.

"I truly believe that your leadership will be able to guide the Japanese people towards peace. You have shown it to me since the beginning."

"Zero…" Ohgi felt grateful to Zero and bowed. "Thank you for that, Zero. I will do what I can for the world and help to maintain peace. Thanks again." Afterwards, Ohgi too departed from the site.

Suzaku turned slowly towards Kallen. She had not changed her appearance at all since the announcement.

"Are you shocked Kallen?" Suzaku began to speak calmly towards her. "Of course, you must be after hearing my command."

"Everyone went along with your plan…even Toudou and Ohgi…"

Suzaku frowned a bit. "Do you hate me for it? I know that I am taking away the last bond you have left with your comrades…do you still hate me for that?"

Kallen shook her head. "Would it matter? I don't think it would make any difference." Kallen raised her head. "If the memories remain, then the bonds will never be gone.

"It's the same with the memories of him…" Kallen glanced away for a moment.

Suzaku instantly knew whom Kallen was mentioning. He mentally sighed in sorrow as his memory began to pop back up.

"He would have said something like that, don't you think?"

Suzaku nodded. Kallen gripped her arm whilst keeping her head bowed in sorrow.

"We cannot deny that all of us have sinned against him." Suzaku spoke seriously. "Nor can we forget that he too had sinned likewise…"

"He deserved better; a lot more than what we could have given him." Kallen glanced slowly back at Suzaku. "More than what he had given us…"

"More than what the world could ever provide…" Suzaku included.

"I think that, the only fault he had…was that he cared more about others rather than himself" Kallen added.

Suzaku turned away from Kallen and headed towards the hangar door, picking up his duffle bag. Slinging it over his shoulder, he began to leave. Kallen noticed this, but felt compelled to be silent. She knew that this would not be the last time she would see him, but for some unknown reason, she felt an ache within her body. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words could not come out. She shook her head fiercely, trying to shake the weakness away. She glanced back at Suzaku, slowly walking away. It irked her to see him go. She still had questions for him to answer. She knew that it wouldn't be the last time they meet, but for some reason, she wanted to speak to him just a bit longer.

"Zero!" she yelled.

Suzaku heard her voice and turned his gaze towards her.

"I-I…" Kallen started. "I'm…that is…you…"

Suzaku saw her nervous attitude and shook his head. "What is it?"

Kallen paused and tried to gather herself. "The school will soon have a fireworks display!"

Suzaku's ears picked up when he heard 'fireworks'. Underneath the mask, a small smirk appeared slowly at the notion.

"I'll see you later, Kallen." With that, Suzaku fled from the ghettos.

Kallen felt somewhat relieved that she was able to speak. Her mind wondered exactly why she chose that over anything else. She was well aware of so many other questions that were not as of yet answered; quite now that they may never go answered anymore. Staring blankly in the direction that Suzaku went, she smiled softly at the knowledge that she had gained from their time. At that moment, she felt the warmth of the sun slowly seeping into her own heart once more, feeling a bit lighter than before. She too left the area soon afterwards, feeling somewhat content with the way things went.

That night, another meeting was held. It was broadcasted all throughout Japan; shops, bars, and households all around were displaying the meeting. The people were astonished to once again see Zero alongside the world leaders. When the news broke that the Black Knights had been disbanded, many were quite confused as to exactly why; however doubts were soon dusted away as once again the notion of peace came up. The people praised the act wholeheartedly, others were quite reluctant, but much of the feelings were extinguished as Zero addressed the media. Noticeably, the reactions to Zero's proclamation were quite positive overall, and soon the world began to chant the name of its hero.

After the meeting was disbanded, Suzaku headed for his recluse once more. However, as he made his way towards the exit, a figure spoke from behind.

"Zero" the voice rose.

Suzaku turned and was met with an all too well-known individual. Turning to face the person, Suzaku mentally sighed in anxiety.

"Cornelia li Britannia" he spoke. "It is indeed a surprise to see you."

"Not as much of a surprise as the one you revealed at the meeting." Her words were sincere, yet still manage to hold a bit of the headstrong attitude that she had grown to use. "You sure do like to show up at convenient times, don't you?"

"What are you implying?" Suzaku felt some pressure when he listened.

"Nothing in particular; it's just that you always seem to arrive when the world needs you."

Suzaku sharpened his wits against Cornelia, fearing that she might've noticed any irregularities with him.

"You first come and save the world, then Britannia, and then promote peace in these troubling times; it seems sort of funny at how coincidental all of these seem to be to me." Cornelia gazed at Zero, her mouth shaped and curved to show slight astonishment. She soon shook her head. "However, your methods are once again quite effective."

"What is it that you want Cornelia?"

Cornelia's mouth turned slightly downward, showing a bit of seriousness in her demeanor. "It is not what I want…it is about what someone else wants."

"Who do you mean?"

"I mean…" Cornelia paused and took a breath. "For some time now, a certain someone has requested to see you. Though it is not in the best of intentions for me to be a messenger, this person however is an exception."

"Prudent as always; yet this is still very unbecoming of you, Cornelia." Suzaku found it quite natural to question logic like how Lelouch had done so.

"I will get to the point. This person wishes to meet with you. I need a reply to take back."

"Like you, I too wish to get to the point as well…"

Cornelia sighed for a moment and interrupted Suzaku. "My sister wishes to meet with you."

Suzaku froze and became silent. _'Nunnally…why does she…'_

"She stays in her room most of the time now." Suzaku shook out of his current nature as Cornelia spoke once more. "Ever since that day, she rarely does anything anymore. It is only now that you've returned to the spotlight that she now acts this way. I am not saying this to gain your pity, but I do not wish to upset what little family I have left.

"What is your answer, Zero?"

A part of Suzaku sunk as he deliberated upon the decision. His mind was filled with various possibilities as to find the reason why Nunnally would ask to see him. Up until now, he had been quite tight-lipped about the deeper details of his existence as Zero. However, he had also known that there were many things that were left unanswered for so many of his former comrades and friends; questions that he would never believe to answer even until his own eventual death. A part of him wished that he could easily deny the request, expecting to just keep one more secret away from those whom he had come to know and care for. He wished that he could have easily just disappeared from the world with the knowledge that he had now. For now, he just regretted that there were questions left unanswered from those whom paid witness to that day.

"I humbly accept your offer." Suzaku would have slapped himself for accepting the invitation. "On one condition…"

"Go on."

"I will need one other with me when I go."

Cornelia questioned his requirement. For Suzaku, he understood that if he were to confront Nunnally, he would also need one other account by his side. Out of the people he knew, only one was already within reach.

"Might I ask who that is?"

"It is necessary that the person's identity be omitted. I cannot tell you whom, but I will vouch that the person will abide by the rules of this engagement."

Cornelia pondered Zero's request for a moment. "I understand."

"Indeed. We will meet at the end of the week, two days from now."

"Understood, however, the place will be at the heliport at the Tokyo Airfield. Do we have an agreement?"

"Yes. Now if you will excuse me."

Suzaku left the building and headed for his apartment. The city lights once again burned bright as he raced through the outskirts of town, the city behind him. Avoiding most of the highly populated areas, Suzaku was able to arrive home relatively unnoticed. Entering the house, he shot upstairs and towards his room. Passing by, he saw a light peering through C.C.'s room. When he got up close to the door, he angled himself to see the inside. Not being able to see things clearly, except for the television, he opened the door and gazed at the contents.

"Do you ever knock?" spoke C.C., sitting on the bed.

Suzaku pulled his mask off and shook his head. "Sorry, C.C., I was just…"

"No matter, just a notice for you to remember to knock next time."

"Yeah…" Suzaku gazed at C.C.'s surroundings; the bed was messy, the floor strewn with clothes, and pizza boxes on the nightstand. "You ordered…pizza?"

"Of course" retorted C.C. nonchalantly.

"To think that you can eat all that pizza and yet still look like that; it's a mystery."

"Just one of many, I suppose."

Suzaku scratched his head in frustration. "In any case…"

"I saw you" started C.C., "on the news tonight."

"Oh yeah?"

C.C. smirked. "You were really not as impressive as Lelouch when he was Zero."

Suzaku pouted a bit. "Is that so?"

C.C. nodded. "But, I do have to hand it to you for making an effort."

"I don't know whether to consider that a compliment or an insult." Suzaku smirked for a moment before recalling the events after the meeting. His silence alerted C.C.

"What happened now Suzaku?"

"Uh, it's not really anything…" Suzaku glanced over at C.C., who shot a blank stare back at him. After some silence, Suzaku continued. "I spoke to Cornelia after the meeting."

C.C. softly jerked her head towards his position.

"She actually caught me before I left. She went on about how she finds me suspicious for appearing in convenient times and whatnot."

"Really?" C.C. softly chuckled to herself. "Is that all?"

"Actually…" C.C. heard Suzaku's voice in a more serious tone, and ceased her laughter. "She asked me to meet with someone."

C.C. went silent even more for a moment. "Who did she want you to meet?"

Suzaku paused for a long time, finding the courage to speak the name. He battled with his own will for a moment before giving up the fight.

"It's Nunnally."

C.C. silently gasped as her eyes went wide. She was shocked to hear Suzaku's words, even more so to the fact that Cornelia had requested him to do so.

"What did you say in return?"

"I accepted the offer" Suzaku sighed out. "Of course, I told her that we would meet two days from now. Really though I am as surprised as you are."

"I can only imagine…" C.C.'s memory flashed. "Did you say 'we'?"

Suzaku placed himself upon the door lining, leaning upon the molding. "Yes, I did. I requested that I bring an accomplice with me. You have to understand that this is going to be a delicate matter. It's already tough enough to have to face Nunnally at all. I need someone to go with me, someone who has experienced the same ordeal as I have." He glanced over to his right. "Of course, this also jeopardizes the promise we made to Lelouch. I wish that it was easier for me to deal with this…"

"However, you cannot deny her request can you?" C.C. added as she sighed. "Jeez Suzaku, you had to drag me into this, huh?"

"If I go down, you are coming with me." Suzaku frowned. "Of course, I cannot keep lying to her anymore C.C. I already took everything away from her, far be it from me to have to lie to her once more."

C.C. shook her head. "Your chivalrous attitude will get you killed one of these days, you know?"

Suzaku smirked. "I won't go down that easily, especially not in this crucial moment."

"You're like a cockroach; tenacious, annoying, and even harder to kill."

"Aw shut up C.C. You're one to talk."

Both grew silent as the television hummed. Their thoughts swirled in their heads, mixed with various memories of their past discretions. Suzaku sighed and left for his room. Once there, he readied himself for bed. Placing his clothes back into the closet, Suzaku quickly threw on his sleep attire and sat at the bedside, contemplating the possibilities that were scattered out before him. For a while, he sat silently as he thought. After some time, he leaned towards the lamp and turned the light off. Before he could hope into the bed, a knock came at the door. Suzaku looked over his shoulder and saw C.C. standing at the doorway.

"C.C.?" he questioned first, then sighed. "About today, I…"

"No, you don't have to say it" replied C.C. "I need to say something as well."

"I'm listening…"

"I have no qualms about meeting with Nunnally."

Suzaku felt relieved to hear C.C.'s answer. "Good then, we leave on Saturday."

"Yeah…Well, good night." C.C. soon left, leaving Suzaku once more to his mumbling before retiring for the night.

'_Lelouch…'_ he thought to himself as his conscious began to dwindle. _'What would you do…in these cases?' _Suzaku's eyes soon closed.

'_I'm sorry, Lelouch...I...I...'_

To be continued…if desired…

A/N: I AM SO VERY SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!!! My college work had bound me up most of the time. In any case, I am hoping that this will get you back into the story again after such a long hiatus. My points: 1) I wanted to continue from the previous chapter, considering that I dropped the bomb last time. At least I provided some closer for the main figures of the Black Knights. 2) To provide a set up for the next chapter. I may just be able to end this story by the thirtieth chapter. 3) Signify who gets closure next time. Nunnally is more than likely the last one left to give closure to. Thank you all once again for your dedication to reading my story. Expect to see this story's end by the start of the winter (hopefully). Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. If it feels rushed, then sorry for it. Thanks again.


	29. The Turning Point 4: Cold Feet

The night rolled in once more upon the city. Tired souls returned home as buildings began to slowly dim their lights as the moon rose up above. The hustle of the town soon became silent as lights went out one by one. Most of the people by now were fast asleep, dreaming of the next day's benefits, others relished the thought of another bright day ahead of them.

To Suzaku, however, the twilight was far from comforting. Reminiscent of days long gone, Suzaku couldn't help but feel a bit amazed by the nostalgia his current predicament brought. He had experienced nights that seemed to never end, most of which he was left aware of, eyes open and mind buzzing with thoughts of the burning sin that still ran rampant within his soul. It was different this time around.

He fidgeted around under his sheets, swaying from one side to another, eyes partially open. After some time, he forced his body straight, having his eyes focus solely upon the ceiling. Suzaku's mind grew restless with memories of the previous day's events. Much to his surprise, his thoughts were mostly upon the inevitable meeting that he had agreed to with Cornelia and Nunnally. He shuddered for a moment at the thought of Nunnally's name.

Shaking his head, he turned to his right and tried gazing through the window. The moon had risen pretty slowly, shining through the middle of the window itself. His mind was soon brought to faint memories about the Zero Requiem and Lelouch. He remembered promises that he had sworn to Lelouch, promises that he had probably already broken in some way. Also, his subconscious had remembered the purpose of the Zero Requiem and how he swore secrecy about it; also broken in more ways. These thoughts weighed heavily upon his heart, the stress and anxiety rising once more.

These were his nightmares; Suzaku's tormentors even. He understood the situation all too well, yet felt eager to swear them away. In the end, he continued to live with these thoughts.

However, upon this night, these memories were stronger than before. Fidgeting around once more, Suzaku sighed as his attempt to sleep was constantly bothered by his mind. Giving into his problem, he sat up in his bed and sighed. Running his hand through his hair, Suzaku sadly smirked.

"I can't do it…" he spoke to himself. "I just can't do it…" Frustrated, he begrudgingly rose from the bed and approached the window. Separating the curtains, he glanced down upon the dark horizon.

His thoughts turned towards Nunnally. "I don't think I can face her yet…" Memories of old and recent times began to swarm within Suzaku's mind. Despite the fact that more smiles appeared, the look upon Nunnally's face on that faithful day overpowered all other memories. Her sad, crying face brought despair to Suzaku at that moment.

The night went on and it would be a while before Suzaku could go back to sleep.

The sun rose once more from the horizon; rays of light peering through the frail curtain of Suzaku's bedroom. His eyes opened lazily; his body quite frozen by the notion; mind still reeling from the previous day's sleep. He was not immune to the effects of the preceding night, thus his body rose all the more sluggishly from the covers. Yawning, he rose to his feet and went to the bathroom.

Passing by, he stopped in front of C.C.'s door. He knocked. No answer. He placed his ear to the door. No sound. Shrugging it off, he continued to the bathroom. Scratching his head, he reached for the knob, turned it, and pushed forward.

*smack*

Suzaku stepped back; a nagging sense of pain came from his forehead. "What the…" He placed his hand on the knob and turned. The knob was adamant and did not budge. _'Locked…'_ Suzaku placed his ear on the door; the sound of running water echoed. Sighing, he withdrew back into his room to wait for C.C.

C.C. exited the bathroom in a light green robe. Going back to her room, she dried herself with a towel in hand. As the robe fell, she began to towel off her body. Not in a rush, she threw the towel onto the headrest of the bed and went to her closet. Choosing an assortment of clothes, she dressed up within seconds. Afterwards, she exited the room and went downstairs to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and sighed.

'_Gotta make a grocery run' _she muttered in her head. Heading back up to her room, she did not expect to encounter Suzaku standing by his door.

"Morning Suzaku" she started nonchalantly as always.

"Hello, C.C." he replied back with a faint smirk. "You could've told me when you were out of the bathroom."

"Did you have to go that badly?"

"No, but I did want to talk to you for a moment."

C.C. flashed a surprised look. "Oh, and what for may I ask?"

"Well…" Suzaku paused, fumbling with his choice of words. "It's about what happened yesterday…at the meeting."

"What do you mean? Is it about the meeting that you arranged with Cornelia?"

"No…well partially, but the meeting I meant was with the Black Knights."

C.C. grew slightly serious. "Go on."

"During the mid day, I headed over to the Shinjuku ghetto. I went to the place that you told me about and when I arrived, I was met by a surprise."

"What kind of surprise was it?"

"Well, I had originally thought that no one from the Black Knights would be there, yet when I got there, one person had been present at the time. It was…" Suzaku breathed. "It was Kallen. She had set me up in a small trap and tried to kill me. Though I subdued her, her reason for killing me was a bit surprising. She had told me that I reminded her of him."

C.C. mentally guessed what Suzaku had meant.

"Because of her determination, and because I sparred her life, I indirectly told her of the Zero Requiem."

C.C. became shocked to hear. "What were you thinking?"

"I know, it is my fault for betraying his word, but still I did not want her to fall into further into her own despair. She had even told me to kill her if it meant that she could go where Lelouch is. I have too much blood on my hands now and I promised myself that Lelouch would be the last."

"Jeez, Suzaku, your chivalry is indeed overwhelming, but it will eventually be the death of you."

"It would be better if I did die by that, but with Lelouch gone and the Zero Requiem nearly completed, I cannot just sit and wait for it to happen."

C.C. smirked at his comment. "You're a real piece of work."

Suzaku scoffed. "However, it is because of that encounter that I find myself in the situation that I am in now." He glanced at C.C. and saw concern upon her visage. "I can only say that Kallen had some unresolved questions about why Lelouch died. From that, and what I can assume, it probably caused her some suffering. I saw it within every attack of hers. The anger, the sadness, all of it was visible in her eyes. It is that look that I can't seem to get out of my head. When thinking about the meeting for tomorrow, I am reminded of how everything was on that day. I have seen things that I can never forget. When I think about it, how my presence irritated Kallen, I can only imagine at how Nunnally would react when I show up tomorrow." Suzaku clenched his hand, gripping his sleeve pretty tight.

"I saw how she reacted when he died. Her screams echo in my head. I took away Lelouch's life in front of her eyes. What's even worse is that I had the gall to take his body from her as well. I…" Suzaku shook his head. "I don't think that I can face her again, especially in Zero's attire. I don't think I can handle the thought of seeing her sad over Lelouch's death."

C.C. slightly understood Suzaku's anxiety. To her, Nunnally was indeed a kind girl who loved her brother more than anything. She had also observed at how both interacted with Suzaku for the first time. Their bond was truly strong, however she also knew that time was, and will always be, a changing factor in everything. Their bonds had truly stood, but it grew far from what it was. Especially now that the Zero Requiem was in its final stages, the bonds that brought the friends together, now just thin strands at the breaking point. A part of that fact irked C.C.

"Is that all?" she asked. Suzaku turned his glance towards her again. "If that is what you believe, then cancel the meeting. I'm pretty sure that Nunnally understands the magnitude of her request, and maybe she will understand why Zero can't meet with her." C.C. shrugged the woe off and approached her room. "I mean, she probably is still sad by the fact that her brother is dead, having been killed by Zero."

Suzaku felt the gravity of C.C.'s harsh words. Of course, a part of him could sense the sarcasm and levity of her attitude as well.

C.C. came back from her room holding a small purse in her hand. "I'm going out to get some groceries. I'll be back in a few." As she approached the staircase, she stopped when she was about to descend. "It is understandable that you don't want to see her sad anymore. However, I think that if you don't settle things now, it will only lead to more sorrow for the two of you." Turning her head back to Suzaku, she smiled softly. "She will understand if it is you that she meets." C.C. proceeded down the stairs and out the front door.

Suzaku contemplated about C.C.'s words for a while. In his head, he wondered how he would go about the meeting. His heart, however, was still hung up on the idea of Nunnally's sorrow. No matter how much he tried, he just couldn't get the thought out of his head. Sighing in defeat, he finally went into the bathroom and freshened up.

In the city, C.C. calmly walked along the sidewalk. It was pretty early in the morning at the time, but she knew that it was the best time to start picking up groceries. A part of her mind recalled memories of gathering up groceries during the turn of the century; the same etiquette could be applied to modern times. The sun rose slowly, banishing the shadows that loomed over buildings and houses. When she arrived, the market place was alive with sound.

Passing through other early birds, C.C. began to pick produce after produce for the next meal. She encountered bargains and deals on the usual items. Of course, this too was also the reason why she went to the market early.

Satisfied with what she found, she began to head back. The sun was now above the buildings. A bright flash came to her eyes. Wincing at the minor pain, she rubbed her eyes with her hand. Glancing to where the flash came from, she spotted a small orange stand at the end of the marketplace. Though crowded with people, C.C. ventured forward to the stand. At close range, she was slightly amazed at the oranges sold at the stand.

"Excuse me, miss…" started a voice.

C.C. raised her glance at the man, who wore a worker's sun hat, behind the stand.

"Would you like to buy some oranges, miss?" A small grin rose from the man's face.

C.C. recognized the man's face almost instantly.

The man approached C.C. and took her by the arm softly. "I've got some good oranges in the back" he stated quietly, then turned back to the stand. "Can you take care of the stand for a minute?" he shouted. Soon, a familiar, pink-haired girl appeared from behind the curtain of the stand.

"Understood" she replied in a low voice.

The man nodded and soon disappeared with C.C. behind the curtain. The man stopped as soon as he came to a truck. C.C. sighed and saw that no one was around. The man soon took off his hat.

"It has been a while, hasn't it C.C.?" said the man, revealing his full visage.

C.C. smirked. "Well, I certainly didn't expect you to be in Japan, Orange."

Jeremiah laughed. "Well, this is my job, Witch."

Both soon laughed together. When it died down, both remained serious.

"You still are staying in Japan, C.C.?"

"Yes."

"I thought that you'd be far away from here ever since that day."

"Well, I certainly can't leave things unfinished. Besides, I can leave at any time. But what makes things ironic is that you are working on an orange plantation. I never thought you'd actually do something that reminds you of your cursed name."

"Ah, while that can be true, I have only thought of it like that before I heard the real story from Master Lelouch. Now, it is only just a way that I can revere his memory."

"Everyone has there own ways of remembrance I guess. Yet, why is it that she is here with you?"

"Anya? Well, it is actually a surprise I guess to see her. Ever since the day Master Lelouch conquered the Damocles, I had been keeping an eye upon her, even while she was imprisoned. It sounds foolish and weird, but I only did so because of her memory loss."

"Memory loss?" C.C. thought about it for a moment. "Oh, it must have been from Marianne's geass."

"Lady Marianne had a geass power?" said Jeremiah, a shocked look now upon his face.

"Yes, she had used it to transfer her soul into Anya when she had been assassinated by V.V. In any case, you watched over her during the two months she was a prisoner?"

Jeremiah shook his head and knocked himself back into reality. "Yes, she seemed to know a little bit about Master Lelouch and Lady Nunnally when they were younger. She had pictures of them on her personal gadget, but that is another topic. After we parted ways on Kaminejima, I secretly went back to Japan and tried to locate Anya."

C.C. deviously smirked. "Stalking little girls now?"

"As I said, it sounds weird. However, Anya seemed much more different ever since I cancelled the effects of the geass she had upon her. I managed to locate her, though she was simply wandering the streets, as if lost in a daze. I soon found her once more after the people settled down with their celebrations of Master Lelouch's death. She was sitting in an alleyway, the straightjacket still upon her. Her eyes were closed and her face was covered lightly in scuffs. I took her into my care, fled Tokyo and went south. I nursed her back to health and soon she was able to recall everything that happened, even her past memories. Without a place to go, I took her in and posed her as my daughter whenever the question arose. I was even able to get her a job working on the plantation."

"Such a touching story" said C.C. shrewdly. "How were you able to keep your identity secret?"

"I've only been seen by a couple of people, like you. Not many know the face of Jeremiah Gottwald, at least not since the day I was modified. And despite having been in public that day, I have yet to run into being noticed when I wear this hat. If I tried to hide half of my face, people would be suspicious wouldn't they?"

"Probably, but it could be a big risk just having it open for everyone to see."

"Indeed" Jeremiah stated. "How is Suzaku?"

"He's fine, though a bit troubled considering there are people who are suspicious of the Zero Requiem."

"Has he said anything about it?"

"In a way, yes, but he seems to know what he is doing. I think that being Zero and all, he is still getting used to that fact."

Jeremiah nodded. "Of course, but as long as it does not jeopardize the purpose of the Zero Requiem."

"Probably…but in any case…"

"Oh, right. Well, it is good to see you again C.C. Here…" Jeremiah handed C.C. a bag of oranges. "On the house."

C.C. smirked. "Thanks Jeremiah. See you later and take care of Anya as well." With that, C.C. left through the back exit of the building, into the alleyway.

The sun was high and C.C. had approached the building she and Suzaku were staying in. Taking out her key, she opened the door and walked in. Placing the groceries on the table, she soon noticed a small note upon the refrigerator. She pulled it and read it to herself:

_Gone out for a while. –Suzaku_

C.C. sighed as she gazed at the note in wonderment. Throwing it away, she began to put the groceries away.

Far on the other side of town, Suzaku, disguised in his usually clothing, had traveled on an open dirt path. His mind was still riddled with anxiety and woe; the thought of the negativity irked him so much that he had to get out of the apartment. Halfway into walking, he pondered about his own lack of will and the uncertainty that he had placed for himself. To clear his mind, Suzaku ventured forth to certain places he found special. When the dirt path shifted to a more concrete path, he arrived at the steps to his family's shrine.

'_This is the place where it all began' _he thought to himself. As he ventured up the steps, he began to recall many memories of his times upon this place; his mother's wake, his training with Toudou, and especially the time that both Lelouch and Nunnally first arrived. But none were more significant than the final time that he was here with Lelouch. However, that was also the last time he would ever see Lelouch beg for assistance, as well as the last time he would have opened his heart to someone willfully. When he arrived at the top, the nostalgia gripped him and made him see the events take place. He soon shook his head and continued deeper into the forest.

The sun rose higher into the sky as he ventured once more. This time upon the location where both he and Lelouch had first seen the horrors of belonging to powerful families. He climbed up a familiar rock, one that he had to help Lelouch over during their adventures. This time, he found it a little bit harder and slipped like Lelouch, but got back up and continued. Upon the hill, under the tree, Suzaku gazed outward towards Mt. Fuji. His memories came back and soon he began to see images of black aircrafts appearing in the sky. He remembered how frightened he and Lelouch were when they saw it and how they had to retreat back to the main household afterwards. Blinking slowly, the images began to fade. The sound of trees rustling became all the more evident.

'_So long ago, and yet it still remains'_ he thought quietly to himself. _'What would you have me do Lelouch? I don't know what I can do for tomorrow. Maybe I should just call it off…'_ With a heavy sigh, Suzaku soon left the vicinity.

The sun was past noon as Suzaku walked down the hillside. The main household of the Kururgi clan had been not too far, but indeed took some time to get to. When he arrived, more visions came to him. Though the household had been in shambles, through his eyes it was restored to its natural state so many years ago. He saw a little boy running away from the main house. In his reverie, Suzaku began to follow the boy. Down a rocky path and into the forest, Suzaku followed himself as he approached another reverie. When a young Lelouch appeared, Suzaku thought himself a fool to have followed such hallucinations. He remembered how he reacted back then, and it slightly stung to see it once more.

Once again, he followed his vision once more, through the forest again and back into the main steps of the estate. From there, he knew what would happen next and proceeded to follow. When Suzaku came upon the image of a lone wheelchair, he knew exactly where to go. Deviating from the steps, he venture into the forest once more and ended up at a familiar location; a hole in the ground. The images of a young Suzaku and a young Lelouch passed by Suzaku and disappeared into the hole. He followed in suit, the hole still wide enough for him to slip through. His memories took him back to that time when he and Lelouch found Nunnally. Such happy times brought a sad smile to Suzaku's face, and tears soon became evident as he was reminded of the friendship song that he sung with them.

He stayed within the hole, the interior now just cluttered with cobwebs and evidence of the hospitality that he had for them. His mind was close to breaking. He closed his eyes and contemplated his next move.

So many memories flashed by as he lost himself in his own mind. It was troublesome to keep on doing so, however Suzaku couldn't stop himself from doing so. It wasn't until he came upon happy memories that he found himself experiencing again. The voices of the past soon became audible.

"_If happiness had a form, what would it be?" spoke Nunnally._

"_Hm, that is a tough one Nunnally" replied Lelouch._

"_I think…" started Suzaku, "To me, happiness is like a glass prism."_

"_Why do you think that?"_

"_It's because it is clear and pristine. Though it has multiple view points, what you see is all the same; a clear picture to the inside of others. Those that you hold dear, those who are friends; just looking through it can reveal the pureness of humanity, of happiness."_

"_That was amazing, Suzaku" stated Nunnally._

"_It was nothing really. What do you believe is happiness Nunnally?"_

"_Let's see…I guess it would have to be the bond that we share with others." _

"_What do you mean by that?"_

"_Well, I think that though we cannot see it, it exists between us and everyone we come in contact with. Those that we cherish, those who we love and care about, we will always share a bond that can never be broken." _

_Both Suzaku and Lelouch were left slightly speechless. _

"_That was wonderful Nunnally" spoke Suzaku. _

"_Thank you Suzaku" replied Nunnally._

"_Now, what do you think Lelouch?" _

"_Me? Well, happiness is simply an emotion that we feel when we are content with something. Emotionally speaking, we can find happiness anywhere, whether between people or things. Physically speaking, however, happiness is…"_

Suzaku forced himself to stop the memory. For him, it seemed too much to handle, yet all the more affirming of his goal. He rose from his spot and exited the secret hideout. When outside, he gazed at the sky. The sun was slowly beginning to set, the orange hue of the sky became more evident. Suzaku soon decided to go back home.

Along the way, he began to remember one more memory. He delved once more into the nostalgia as he walked along the road.

_Suzaku had just said his goodbyes to Nunnally. Sitting upon a small bag, he gazed out into the auburn sky. _

"_You okay, Suzaku?" _

_Suzaku turned and saw Lelouch approaching him. _

"_Yeah, I'm okay" he stated flatly. _

"_Don't be like that, Suzaku. You shouldn't hold everything in."_

"_I know Lelouch. It's just that…I'll miss you guys."_

"_Don't talk like that" Lelouch retorted, clenching his fists in anger. "We'll meet each other again, count on it."_

"_Lelouch…"_

"_It's just as Nunnally said; the bonds between us will always exist, no matter what. So don't be so arrogant and hold everything in, okay?"_

Suzaku commented on the irony of Lelouch's words back then.

"_I understand Lelouch." Suzaku rose up and approached Lelouch, extending his hand out. "Promise that we will always be friends."_

_Lelouch grasped his after a few seconds and nodded. Suzaku smiled, but Lelouch had not. _

"_I will…"_

"_What was that Lelouch?"_

_Lelouch gazed at Suzaku fiercely. Suzaku stood shocked at Lelouch's demeanor. _

"_I will crush Britannia. One day, I will destroy it!" With that, the two parted ways. _

Suzaku felt somewhat disheartened by the final words that Lelouch had left him when they first separated. He could remember the small sense of fear and anxiety that he felt during his travels and experiences. Of course, that small sense of fear was what drove him to believe the path that he had chosen was sensibly right. Without that influence, he would have not experience all the events that he had the past few years of his former life. In a way, he became grateful that Lelouch had spoken with him once more before they parted. Indeed, he had been grateful for all of that, and now it was his turn to do the same, this time for Nunnally.

When he arrived home, the sun had been mostly below the horizon. When he entered the front door, he was greeted to a sight that he never thought was possible; a home-cooked dinner. The smell enticed his hunger and ravaged his mind, though what puzzled him the most was that C.C. had cooked. He saw her sitting down after setting a few plates.

"Well, this is a surprise" Suzaku stated.

"What? Can't I be able to cook one of these days?"

"It's not that…just that, I'm amazed at the work you did."

C.C. lightly blushed and looked away. "Well, I didn't want you to starve either, so I made enough for the two of us."

"Thanks for that, C.C."

"It's no big deal. Now come on, I've been starving since this afternoon."

Suzaku smiled and decided to accept C.C.'s offer. The two ate dinner in peace.

After dinner, Suzaku gazed at C.C., thanking her for the meal. Though he had volunteered, C.C. refused and cleaned up the table. When the dishes were taken to the sink, Suzaku rose from his seat and spoke.

"I've had a lot of time to think about it…."

C.C. turned and faced Suzaku. "Yeah?"

"As you said, Nunnally would only be hurt more if I don't do anything. I cannot avoid the fact that this has to be." He strongly gazed at C.C. "I will go to the meeting as planned. I must face Nunnally so that all of us can move on. C.C., if you want to, will you join me as well?"

C.C. shook her head and grinned. "You really are starting to sound like Lelouch, you know? But I will help you out one last time."

"I appreciate the sentiment." Suzaku couldn't help but smile after hearing C.C.'s reply.

'_Lelouch,' _Suzaku thought, _'For Nunnally's sake, and for the world, give me strength to see this through…'_

To be continued…if desired.

A/N: First off, I am very sorry for the long wait. I rushed the last chapter before the holidays, and though feedback was down, I hope that this chapter will make up for the shortcomings of the previous chapter. The overview of this is that I wanted to have Suzaku get cold feet about meeting Nunnally and then go on a short journey to find the will to face the past. As for Jeremiah and Anya, well that is a different aspect that I just had to add in order to make the story come full circle. I may have skewed the memories of Suzaku a bit, but bear with me considering that not much was given for the past except blurbs and pieces. In any case, thank you all for your wonderful support. Reviews and comments are appreciated, and thanks for supporting the story for so long. I'll see you guys later with another chapter, hopefully in a shorter amount of time (hopefully being the relevant term). Thanks again.


	30. The Turning Point Finale: Coda

Note: Longest chapter of story (suggest take a break in between shifts in POV)

The next day came, bright and sunny in the early morning. For Suzaku, it had become one of the most important days in his life. Rummaging through his closet, he gathered only his "Zero" outfit and stuffed it in a brown duffle bag. When he reached for the mask, Suzaku paused for a moment of silence. He didn't quite expect himself to be so nervous since his decision to go through with the plan, but it was just another feeling he would endure for the trip.

'_Lelouch' _he began, _'I will soon be telling Nunnally the truth. It is farfetched to say the least, and I know that this is also going against your will. But if you were me right now, would you have done the same?'_ Suzaku stared blankly at the mask, as if expecting a reply from the inanimate object. _'You'd probably say that it is something that I must do, right? It is something that I must do to finally move on, eh?'_ Suzaku smirked at his thoughts. _'In any case, if it is any consolation, please give me the strength to go through with this.' _

Another silent moment came as Suzaku close his eyes and mentally prayed. It was a small little thing, but was said to be all one needed to do. Suzaku briefly reflected upon his religious faith. He knew that most Japanese were already absorbed into the Christian faith, with only a few headstrong Japanese, usually the elderly and those who were against foreign assimilation, retaining the polytheistic ways of Ancient Japan. He wasn't particularly fond of the conversion to Christianity, yet he also did not really believe that many gods existed. The middle ground between the two is where he usually stayed. A part of him wondered at how Lelouch looked at religion. That part of Suzaku seemed to believe that both he and Lelouch may have had the same idea about faith; things were decided by luck. Beliefs that ranged from the possibilities of good and evil in one another and where one person lives, one other must die; these seemed more believable than the usual religious hocus pocus.

Suzaku pulled back and gazed once more at the mask. He spotted the dried blood upon the left cheek; he knew that it was Lelouch's blood. All this time he had wanted to leave it on as a reminder of his best friend; yet as he gazed at it now, he couldn't help but feel that it no longer was needed. Suzaku sighed as he grabbed a soft tissue, spat into it, then proceeded to wipe the markings away, like a mother wiping dirt away from a child's face. When he finished, Suzaku felt almost lighter than usual, as if a small chunk of the burden he had was lifted. Placing it softly into his bag, he zipped it up and proceeded towards the door.

In the hall, Suzaku met with C.C., who had been standing up against the adjacent wall. Suzaku mentally commented on how C.C. dressed so casually, despite knowing the destination that the two were headed towards.

"Are you ready, Suzaku?" C.C. stated flatly.

Suzaku stayed silent for some time, then nodded. "Let's go."

Smirking, C.C. soon followed Suzaku as they headed towards their destination.

Heading down to the heliport at Tokyo Airfield by car, with C.C. at the wheel, Suzaku couldn't help but to be amazed at how much Japan had changed since his childhood days. Passing by so many places, Suzaku had momentarily forgotten that Japan had been known for many close-knitted areas of shops and businesses. Of course, what caught his eye the most were the people now up and about. The smiles upon their faces were a bit soothing at first, yet when he thought about it, Suzaku felt that their smiles were only there because Lelouch was dead and that the world was finally liberated from both him and the Britannian Empire. He felt that at any time before the Zero Requiem, this type of behavior would be acceptable. Though he felt the urge to frown at the spectacle, he calmly gathered his thoughts and let the feelings slip away. The closer the car was to the airport, the more anxious Suzaku had become. Taking precaution, he had begun to dress in his Zero attire. When they arrived, Suzaku had successfully dressed himself as Zero.

Much to their expectation, by the time they had reached the heliport, signs of life were noticed by both Suzaku and C.C. Only one black jet and a few guards were present as C.C. parked the car as close as she could. Pulling out a straw hat, she tucked her hair into a bun and covered her head. Upon exiting the car, the two started to approach the jet. A few moments later, both C.C. and Suzaku saw a familiar figure coming from the jet.

"Well, you finally show up Zero" boomed a voice from behind the guards. Slowly moving towards them, the person stood undaunted by the meeting.

"Cornelia, it is just as I promised" spoke Suzaku.

"Indeed" Cornelia spoke, but soon glanced at C.C. "Is she the person of which you spoke?"

"Yes" he stated.

"Well then, shall we proceed to the palace?"

Cornelia ushered the two into the jet and soon the group was airborne. Not much could have been spoken during the flight. Neither Cornelia nor Suzaku talked, and C.C. was not surprisingly quiet. To say that the flight was awkward was an understatement. The silence in the cabin was a testament to the lingering distrust and anxiety that both parties felt. However everyone knew the objective at hand was the same; the meeting with Nunnally.

A few hours later, the jet arrived on the palace heliport. Exiting the jet, Suzaku and C.C. both started to feel the strange sense of nostalgia when finally setting foot onto the concrete. By the time that they entered the main sanctum, the nostalgia could truly be felt.

"As you might already know" started Cornelia as she guided them down the numerous hallways. "This is the palace that Lelouch vi Britannia had resided a few months ago."

"Not much has changed" whispered Suzaku to C.C., whom nodded in reply.

"Ever since the day he was assassinated, my family, or what is left of it, has taken up residence here. Much of the political and economic reconstruction plans have been discussed in the main room." Cornelia paused as one servant had approached her.

"That's fine; tell them that the guests have arrived." When the servant left, Cornelia turned towards C.C. and Suzaku. "It would seem that my younger sister is eagerly waiting for us."

"How has your sister been?" Suzaku softly spoke.

Cornelia sighed. "Much to my dismay, she has yet to be as open as she was before. As I mentioned to you, she had held herself in her room. She didn't speak to anyone for very long and sometimes I wake up to the alarm of her nightmares." A look of sorrow was evident in Cornelia's eyes. "I can only assume that she is purposely trying to separate herself from us. For what reason, I don't know."

Suzaku could feel the pressure building as he listened. The memories of that faithful day began to flash like crazy. Mentally shaking the feelings off, Suzaku hardened his heart constantly in preparation for when he finally sees Nunnally.

A few more hallways later, Cornelia and the group stopped. Facing towards the left, the three soon stood in front of a large doorway.

"My sister resides in this room" Cornelia spoke in a firm attitude. "She is waiting for you two."

"I understand. If you will excuse us…"

When Cornelia nodded, the guards opened the doors to the room. When Suzaku and C.C. entered, the guards softly closed the doors behind them.

Suzaku stood in disbelief as he gazed straight towards the bed. The sight almost moved him to tears; however he knew far better to act like he was still Suzaku Kururugi. Had it not been for the mask and his new identity, Suzaku would have dropped his anxiety and rush towards the bed.

Upon the bed sat Nunnally, upright and as radiant as the sun piercing through the window. Her eyes were closed, which momentarily sent chills down Suzaku's spine. Her mouth had been frozen into a mild, horizontal line, expressing no emotion. The wheelchair she used when she was reinstated into the family remained at the foot of the bed itself. She wore a soft pink/violet dress that made Suzaku reminisce momentarily about Euphie. Of course, Nunnally's long brown hair had made him drop the memory. Nunnally's hands were clasped together and placed in her lap. To Suzaku, it was as if Nunnally had already resumed her status as part of the royal family.

C.C. glanced at Suzaku from the corner of her eye. Seeing that he was not going to move, she carefully nudged an elbow into his side. When Suzaku glanced down at her, he noticed that her eyes had the look of seriousness that he needed to adopt for the current situation.

Taking a breath, he opened his mouth to speak.

"It is you, dear guest that is now present?"

Nunnally's soft voice caught Suzaku off guard for a moment. Pressing on, he replied. "Yes, it is I, Zero."

For a moment, no response came from Nunnally. Suzaku started to tense up from the silence that she had given him. For C.C., however, she remained calm and once again nudged Suzaku in the side. Suzaku glanced back at C.C. and soon regained his previous composure.

"I have come at your request to see me" he spoke in a serious tone.

"Yes" Nunnally replied. "There is a seat for you over there."

Suzaku's sight was soon fixed upon the chair at the desk. He quietly whispered to C.C. "You take the seat."

C.C. shrugged and approached the desk. Grabbing the chair, she pulled and brought it closer towards the bed.

Suzaku soon came closer towards the bed, until he was right beside Nunnally.

"What is the reason for you to request an audience with me?" he questioned in a more serious tone, similar to the demeanor that Lelouch had always worn when he was Zero.

"The world…" Suzaku stiffened as he heard Nunnally speak. "The people of the world all rejoice in this peaceful age. It is very surprising to hear such cheers. Long have I wished that the world be so joyful and relaxed…and now it is thanks to a certain individual; Zero.

"I have heard that Britannia has suffered through a lot since a few weeks ago, am I right?"

"The affairs of Britannia were definitely made clear at the meetings, yes."

"I see…and it comes to my attention that it was you, who at the time when Britannia was close to being torn apart by the internal strife of the people, came to our nation's aid. This is true?"

"Yes it is."

Nunnally paused for a moment and spoke in a softer tone, as if whispering to herself. "Do you remember what you had said that day?"

Suzaku had been caught off guard by the seriousness in Nunnally's voice, but opted to stay silent as he pondered the memory. Of course, after not answering, Nunnally's hands began to grasp the blanket.

"Do you remember what you said?" said Nunnally in a louder tone.

Suzaku was feeling tenser than ever. He felt as if he was about to be scolded by a parent for something he had done wrong. "I-I said…" he stuttered for a moment before being cut-off by Nunnally.

"You said that we must hate, right?" Soon, Nunnally's eyes began to slowly open. When Suzaku saw this, he fell immediately silent. "Who was it that you said to hate?"

The emphasis on the "who" reminded Suzaku of what she had been getting at. Swallowing the saliva, and pride, he spoke in a slightly hurried manner.

"Lelouch vi Britannia" he stated flatly. Glancing down at Nunnally, he noticed that the grip that she had on the sheets were still tight, her eyes now fully open. Her mouth opened once more.

"Who was the one you said that the world should hate?"

"Lelouch vi Britannia" he stated once more, this time firmly, masking his personal nervousness.

"Who was it again?" Nunnally stated once more, her voice now cracking and somewhat hinted with anger.

"Lelouch vi Britannia." Suzaku saw that her hands had softened their grip, yet he could not feel the heaviness of the atmosphere slowly dissipating.

"Lelouch vi Britannia; the enemy of the world. The same person whom died that day and the one whom you personally killed with your own hands…"

To Suzaku, this was a side of Nunnally that he feared that he might see. The tension was heavy as he waited for Nunnally to finally crack; to show him the anger that laid dormant in her soul, to be bombarded with hateful words, just as she did to Lelouch.

"Afterwards, the world rejoiced your name and followed your order. And now, thanks to that, the whole world is in this peaceful era." Nunnally calmed down for moment then continued. "In a way, you must think it was necessary to do so, as if for an ulterior motive."

"I don't know what you are trying to get at" Suzaku replied, confused by her remark.

"Everything up until that day had been done for something, right? All of it was done for the sake of a hidden agenda that no one else knows or should know, right?" Nunnally's eyes soon dimmed as strands of hair fell in front of her eyes. Her delicate hands began to shake softly as she held them together. "It was all necessary for that plan, right?"

Suzaku felt a small chill slowly going up his spine once more. "I don't understand what you are…"

"Stop!" shouted Nunnally. Suzaku absolutely went silent right at that moment as he gazed at Nunnally's shaking figure. "Just stop it. I can't take it anymore. Everyone is hiding something from me. Even from the beginning, I've always been lied to. My friends, my family, even my brother…" Soft sobs could be heard from Nunnally as she tried to continue on. "I probably even told myself a few lies, just to spare my feelings. But now, I've had enough of the lies. All I want is the truth." Her head pivoted towards Suzaku.

Suzaku, now in full view of Nunnally's cringing face, tried his best at acting like Zero, yet found some difficulty when he noticed the tears forming under her eyes.

"All these baseless assumptions…" he started, "have nothing to do with…"

"The Zero Requiem…"

Both Suzaku and C.C. were shocked to hear Nunnally's words.

"The Zero Requiem as you both called it; wasn't it done for that plan? Or was everything for my sake?"

Suzaku knew that he had really been caught off-guard by Nunnally, yet remained adamant on the outside.

"I never asked for this. I never wanted any of it. But no, even that wouldn't have stopped you guys from betraying everything. While I was at home, everyone was off, fighting battle after battle, spilling blood and taking countless lives. All I wanted was for everything to be peaceful, that no lives would be lost to the war. Yet even as I wished it, no one ever told me what was going on. Even after I was reclaimed by Father and accepted back into the family, I couldn't help but to feel distraught with the knowledge that my own desires weren't being accepted. I didn't want that much; only to know what was going on, nothing else.

"Yet now that I know the truth, I can't help but to regret ever knowing anything. I can't rid myself of the memories in my head. They haunt me every night. I lie in bed and know what will happen when I close my eyes. I can only see the truth in my sleep, and when I wake up I can only see the horrible truth of it all. I can't take it anymore." Nunnally glanced back down at her hands.

Suzaku stiffened himself as he quietly spoke. "What do you know?"

Nunnally breathed heavily before speaking once more. "I can't explain it…but I know everything; the Zero Requiem, the Black Knights, even your secret as well."

"And by that you mean…"

Nunnally paused and then faced Suzaku once more. "You aren't the real Zero." Though behind a mask, Suzaku could feel as though the shock was evident upon the surface of the mask. "Rather you aren't the original. The first Zero confided in you to take up the mantle. Lelouch had confided in you to become Zero. Am I right, Suzaku Kururugi?"

In an instant, Suzaku could feel his body go numb from her words. Nunnally soon frowned as her hands soon reached up to the mask itself.

"Is it really you under there, Suzaku?" No response came from Suzaku. Nunnally's hands soon trekked upward towards the back of the helmet. It was instantaneous that Suzaku's hands shot up when he felt her fingers came upon the rim. Grasping her hands, Suzaku breathed a sigh of relief. However, for Nunnally, it just confirmed her statement.

"It really is you then, Suzaku" she stated solemnly, her gaze soon lowering down to the space between them.

Suzaku lowered his hands and placed both of theirs upon the bed, soon letting the grasp on her hands lift. When he began to hear her sobs, Suzaku slowly knelt down beside the bed.

"Princess Nunnally" he softly cooed, but was only rewarded with more tears.

"I don't know…" Nunnally spoke, "whether to be happy or to be angry."

"How do you mean?"

"I just can't explain it. I'm happy that you are still alive, and yet I'm angry that the memories are coming true."

A part of Suzaku became eerily intrigued. "Why do you say 'memories'?"

Nunnally wiped the tears from her eyes and spoke. "I don't know how, but I saw it all flash by in my head. A chunk of memories flashed when I touched his hand."

Suzaku soon felt slightly fearful, but pressed on. "Whose hand?"

"My brother's, Lelouch's hand…"

Suzaku momentarily glanced at C.C., whom had a very shocked expression on her face. Glancing back at Nunnally, he began to feel the sorrow beginning to build. He was afraid, truly afraid to continue, but it wouldn't get any better if he did not. "When did you do this?" _As if I needed to ask, _he mentally scoffed_._

Nunnally sniffed. "That day, before he died, he tumbled down in front of me. When I looked at him, he had a small grin upon his face. Here he was, bleeding to death, and yet he smiled. I was curious as to why, but when I touched his hand, every event that took place; I witnessed every event he had done, every sin he committed. It made sense, and yet all I felt was a deep sadness for Lelouch. I understood his final plan; if he were to die at that point, the world would be free and peaceful. I understood how burdened he was with his life; being dissatisfied by normal life, not having anyone to trust with his heart, feeling helpless to reach his goal, to carry the hatred and sin of the world. I understood why he acted so heartless up until that point. And then it dawned on me; his goal was to create a peaceful world, even if it meant being the ultimate scapegoat.

"And then it dawned on me again; he was going to die soon. _'Why of all times must he die'_, I thought to myself. I sat holding his hand, knowing that his life was draining away slowly. He was giving everyone a second chance, even those who wronged and betrayed him, including me. I didn't understand how he could be fine about dying with such a burden. He gave up everything and expected nothing in return. I thought that the brother I loved was gone ever since he used his geass on me. I said so many horrible things to him, called him a devil and heartless.

"'_Not like this' _I thought right then as I held his hand to my face, ignoring the blood upon his fingertips_. 'Don't leave me again, not after I see that you were just the opposite. Please live through it, let me have the chance to tell you how much I love you. Let me ask for your forgiveness, Lelouch. Please, don't die now. Hold out until we get you to a hospital, please. Just_ _don't die.'_ I heard him speak once more, thinking that he would regain some strength. But no matter how much I hoped, it would only be seconds until he died." Nunnally began to sob again, but continued to speak. "It frightened me when his eyes closed. I shook my head and tried to wake him up. My screams couldn't reach him. He would never wake up. _'Why?'_ I thought. _'Why did he have to do this to himself? Couldn't he see how much I needed him?'_ I shut my ears to the cheers. I closed my eyes, wishing that I was blind again. It wasn't the end of my sorrow though. A Knightmare came and took him away from me."

Suzaku had wanted Nunnally to stop, but his memories prevented him from acting out of character. As much as it pained him, he allowed Nunnally to continue.

"When I gazed at that Knightmare, I couldn't speak. _'Haven't I suffered enough already?'_ I thought in my head as the Knightmare's grasp became tighter upon his body. I was afraid that my brother's body would be crushed in its hand. But as quickly as it came, it left with my brother's body. Terrified, I tried to speak, but no words came. _'Don't take him'_ I screamed in my head. _'Someone, anyone, stop that Knightmare. My dear brother…He's disappearing in front of_ _my eyes.'_ I tried to struggle free from the hold I was in, but I was too weak and distraught. I cursed my weak body and I cursed my weak legs. I tried to reach out to the direction the Knightmare was headed, but then I blacked out.

"When I came to, I was here at the palace. At first everything was unclear, but after being visited by Sister Cornelia, things just flooded back. I cried a lot. _'Why is the world so cruel?'_ I thought to myself again. I had gone unheard, so what was the point of trying to explain everything. I told Cornelia so many times that Lelouch wasn't bad at all. But she waved it off. The only truth that came out of this was the fact that my brother is now dead and I don't even know where his body is. I can't give him a proper burial, nor am I able to vouch for his kind spirit. Everyone treats him as an outcast and abhors him so earnestly that the only evidence of his charity towards society would just be the freedom gained when he died."

Suzaku could only sit by as he saw Nunnally finally break down in front of him. Seeing the tears fall from her face made Suzaku feel uneasy. A part of him cursed that he had to remain undeterred on the surface due to his current identity. His hand tried to reach for Nunnally's, but was pulled back down by his will. If he were to become Suzaku once more, he thought, at least for the moment he could console Nunnally in a way he saw fit. Yet now that he was Zero, he could not do such a thing, even though Nunnally knew his true identity. Yet he wished eagerly that he could give some solace to the girl before him.

"I see" he started softly. "Indeed, that is a touching story to hear, but what is done is done." His seemingly cold words pierced even his own soul. He saw Nunnally raise her glance at him once more, eyes slowly becoming more bloodshot from the tears. "Lelouch vi Britannia died and the world is now at peace, freed from his tyranny. Can you not call it a success?"

"That's not…" Nunnally stuttered, slightly distraught from hearing Suzaku speak.

"The Zero Requiem, as you considered it, still remains successful since his death."

"Stop talking like that" she retorted meekly.

"But it is the truth. His death facilitates peace, something that not even the most well known advocates had accomplished."

"Please stop talking like that" Nunnally replied, her hands now partially covering her ears, eyes fiercely shut.

Suzaku pressed on. "The Demon Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia, died by my hands, and with his death, I brought the people peace!"

"Why won't you stop talking?!" Nunnally screamed. "If you are really Suzaku, then stop talking like that! Why do you keep ridiculing my brother?! Why are you acting so heartless?!"

Suzaku snapped. "Because it is necessary!" he shouted back to Nunnally, silencing her in the process. For a moment, Suzaku felt the rage surging through his veins. Had it not been for the mask, he would have shown his angry face to Nunnally. He panted underneath the mask for a while before speaking again.

"I am not the man you knew before. He is dead, along with Lelouch vi Britannia. I am only Zero now. Thanks to him, I am Zero; me, the man who betrayed him, who hated him the most, and who killed him because that was his final request." Suzaku moved his hands up to the mask.

"This is not the face of Suzaku Kururugi your friend, nor is it the face of Suzaku Kururugi the Knight of Seven, nor is it the face of the Honorary Britannian." An airlock-esque sound came as Suzaku slowly removed the mask. "Take a good look, Nunnally, for this is the face of a man who has sold his soul for redemption."

Nunnally could only gasp at the sight of Suzaku's face. Being that she had never seen it before, she was shocked to see it for the first time. In truth, since she had regained her sight, she had only been able to see various faces; mostly those who became prisoners of Lelouch. Even during the march in the city, most of the time her sight was away from the others, hiding the shame and grief from behind her long locks.

Nunnally gazed in awe; the face behind the mask was rugged, tanned and very sullen. Suzaku's ears were like those of the average human, nose not at all like the stereotypical versions she had heard from passersby. The sharp, emerald eyes pierced through her form with a look of seriousness. For Nunnally, it seemed that Suzaku's face was more magnificent than she had ever thought, suiting a man of his caliber.

In her mind, however, it was a face that didn't suit the kind of man she had perceived Suzaku to be; it was not the face she had hoped to see way back when they first met.

The thought perplexed her to no end.

"Do you understand it now, Nunnally? I am no longer that man."

Nunnally was left silent, hushed by his words.

"This is the result of everything that has conspired between me and the world that I sought to change. It was because of my naiveté that I ended up having this burden." Suzaku paused and took in Nunnally's meek gaze. "We had always been on opposite sides; Lelouch and I. I had desired to change this world without loosing a life to hatred, while Lelouch had other means. I was always ready to take whatever scorn could be thrown my way, if it meant that I could be given a chance to redeem my past and to save the lives of my people. But even so, thousands more were lost to the war and my struggle became useless. In truth, I wanted to do things honorably and clean, so that already placed me against Lelouch. I abhorred his ruthlessly efficient ways and wanted nothing more than to stop him, even if it meant stooping down to his level. In an ironic twist, I became his comrade and we fought to change the world, even if it meant becoming targets for the people's hate. But in the end, I couldn't hold my end of the bargain." Suzaku halted himself, remembering the final conversation he had with Lelouch.

"I can't help but to wonder…did he ever plan for himself to be the one to take the blame for everything? I called him heartless, inhuman even; I've betrayed him and couldn't help him when he needed it the most. But the worst of it was that he even gave me, the one who stood against him since the beginning, a second chance. He took my anger and vengeance for killing Euphie, my request to die trying to protect others, and placed it upon his shoulders; just another burden he would take to the grave." Suzaku began to shudder at the reminder.

"I couldn't stop Lelouch from destroying himself. I-I…I killed him with these hands."

Nunnally was shocked to see Suzaku fall to his knees right before her; the mask dropping out of his hand and beside him. "I killed him" he repeated, his hands shaking from the cold sensation he had suppressed inside himself. Nunnally caught on to how sad Suzaku had felt at that moment. After standing by and watching Suzaku slowly descend into sorrow for a while, she couldn't take it. She cautiously reached out for his hand, slowly encompassing it within her own. Suzaku slowly glanced up and saw Nunnally cradling his hand, pulling it towards her. Rubbing it against her cheek, Nunnally closed her eyes and softly whispered.

"It's alright" she cooed in the gentlest voice she could muster. Using her other hand, she clasped them together on Suzaku's. "It is not your fault" she whispered once more. "Please, don't blame yourself for killing Lelouch."

Tears slowly formed at the corners of Suzaku's eyes. It amazed him at how forgiving Nunnally had been to him, even though he would've justified any sort of anger that she had for him. Placing his free hand upon hers, Suzaku brought himself closer to Nunnally and allowed the tears to flow. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to cry the remainder of his tears out.

The gesture made Nunnally feel glad that Suzaku had been partially wrong about his statement; in that moment, she saw that the Suzaku she had come to know was still very much alive within him. "It's enough that you stayed a friend to him even in the end" she whispered gently into his ear.

Both Nunnally and Suzaku stayed close together, ignoring the awkward feeling that sprouted from the reality of having to play different roles; she as a princess, and he as Zero. When they finished, Suzaku stood up before her.

"Thank you Nunnally" he spoke.

Nunnally shook her head. "It was nothing. I'm just glad that you are here now, even though you must not be like this for how long it is to be necessary."

Suzaku nodded. "I'm grateful for your words. Though I cannot be the Suzaku that I was before, I will do what I can safeguard that which needs protecting."

Nunnally's smile slowly fell as she spoke. "You are Zero now, and must do so for the sake of peace, right?"

Suzaku sighed softly. "Yes, but even so, I can only hope that people will come to understand why peace is needed now more than ever." He soon took the mask in hand and placed it upon his face. "For everyone and for the world that Lelouch created…" When the task was completed, he turned and headed for the door.

"Where are you headed to?" spoke Nunnally in a curious manner.

Suzaku paused at the exit and turned slightly towards Nunnally. "I have some business with Cornelia that needs to be discussed. I bid you farewell, Nunnally."

"Will you…" Nunnally spoke, somewhat disheartened by Suzaku's abrupt change in character. "Will you come visit me again sometime?"

Suzaku sighed behind the mask. "It's a promise" he replied, then exited the room.

Nunnally gazed at the door for a while, silenced by the atmosphere yet warmed by the promise that Suzaku made. Of course, she understood that if they should ever meet, Suzaku would still only be known as Zero. It hurt to look at the situation like that, but it was something that couldn't be changed. Sighing to herself, Nunnally afterwards turned towards the other guest in the room.

"What did you think about that?" she asked.

"You put up a good front, I must say" C.C. smirked. "And your compassion never ceases to amaze me."

Nunnally faintly smiled. "It is all that I can do for him." Nunnally momentarily sighed. "It is the only thing that I am to do for anybody, even for my brother. Wouldn't you agree, C.C.?"

C.C. felt shocked, but grinned at the level of awareness that Nunnally had. "Really perceptive aren't you? Pray tell, how did you know?"

"I could tell it was you…The faint scents you give off, the subtle way you seem to blend into the surroundings, but I knew that it was probably you that he'd bring ever since I heard my sister talking about the mystery guest that Zero would bring." Nunnally's smile faded soon after.

"So, what have you come here for?"

"Suzaku had been getting cold feet about this whole ordeal, and I guess he figured that with me around, he'd be somewhat at ease." C.C. giggled to herself, and then turned serious. "The truth is I had no reason to meet with you."

"Oh, really?"

"Although I didn't expect you to hold such information to yourself" she added afterwards.

"Indeed…but as I said, I only touched Lelouch's hand when it happened. I never expected such a thing to occur. In an instant, everything that he had experienced, all the plans he created, all the lies he told, everything soon became a part of my memory." A flash came across her mind as she turned towards C.C.

"His geass…you gave him his power, didn't you?"

C.C. shook her head. "I made a contract with him. His power came from his desire."

Nunnally paused in spite of C.C.'s flat statement. "Who, or should I say what are you really?"

In response, C.C. heaved a sigh and pulled the hat from her head. Her long green hair soon bloomed forth, falling softly down her shoulders. Running a hand through the strands, she straightened and patted the locks to her preference. "I am C.C., the 'Green Witch' of Britannia."

"Green…Witch?" questioned Nunnally.

C.C. nodded. "Because of my power, I've been called a witch by many, including your brother. Indeed, but you should know of it as well from his memories."

"True…but is it indeed true that you are immortal?"

"Sadly, it is. That is the curse of the Geass Code. It binds the user physically by eliminating aging and death. The only way to be rid of it is to pass it on to another who fills the requirement."

"How terrible…" Nunnally whispered to herself. "Were you…planning to give my brother that Code?"

C.C. paused. Her eyes traveled towards the window. The sun shone brightly down upon the room, somehow drawing her to the window itself.

"I've made many contracts over the centuries, and not one ever wanted to be given such a burden. I was left to wander, making more contracts, yet not a single one lived up to an expectation. My wish could never be granted."

"What was that wish?"

C.C. spun around slowly and faced Nunnally. "I wished for death; to have someone end this miserable existence of mine. Humans don't grasp the fact that immortality is not at all magnificent. I've seen so many horrible things that mankind was capable of. I lost so many acquaintances to the flow of time. The loneliness that it brought made me want to die on many occasions; even if I had done so myself, I could never feel the release of death. So I continued to look for one who could give me an end…" C.C. trailed off.

"That was when you found my brother, right?" Nunnally replied.

C.C. spotted Nunnally's hands slowly grasping the bed sheet. "Do you hate me for that?" Nunnally grew stiff as C.C. spoke. "I changed his life, allowing him to become Zero, and thus he fought a war against Britannia. Even as he fought, his soul became more tainted by the darkness of human desire. All because of my interference…Do you still hate me for that?"

"I-I don't know…" Nunnally stuttered. "I still can't comprehend why he would accept such a contract."

"You can't comprehend, because of what?"

Nunnally shook her head. "I just can't comprehend at how he would risk his life for something like that."

C.C. sighed. "Is it that hard to understand?" Soon, C.C. began to approach Nunnally. "Every time he fought, all of the lies he told, everything that he risked; you have his memories yet you still don't understand the reason?"

Nunnally looked up and saw C.C. standing over her.

"Of all those in his life, who did he live for the most?"

The thought soon crossed Nunnally's mind, and soon a shocked expression appeared. "Me?"

"He cared only about you, Nunnally. No one else could ever come close to where you stood in his heart. No matter how much he had suffered, he'd only smile so long as you were."

"But…" Nunnally shook her head once more. "But I never asked for any of it. I never wanted for him to do such things. I…I just…"

C.C. saw as Nunnally placed her face in her hands.

"I wanted him to just be there for me. Even if we were poor or unhappy with life, so long as he was around I'd be fine. I wanted him to just be there."

"But you desired something else, didn't you?"

The memory of that talk flashed across Nunnally's mind. "It's true that I wanted the world to be at peace…but I didn't want it to happen like this, not if it meant losing him forever."

"Then how? What would you have done that could've stopped him from doing so?" C.C. knew that her temper had rose, but she managed to control the urge to shout. "Peaceful methods never worked for Suzaku, but Lelouch's methods, though underhanded, yielded the best results. What would you have done in their shoes?"

"I-I don't know…but why did Lelouch have to go so far as to become the most hated person in the world? Why did he have to destroy the image of the caring and loving brother that I had grown up with? The world hated him to the core, even I couldn't help but to feel so betrayed when I heard the truth from Cornelia and Schneizel. I called him so many horrible names and even proclaimed him dead when we spoke one last time…" Nunnally felt the bitterness of her words slowly stinging her soul. "I hated him just like everyone else…Why would he do such a thing; to sacrifice his own image and collect the hatred of so many people?"

C.C. sighed in defeat when Nunnally began to quietly sob. "It seems that you still don't grasp why. I will tell you exactly why Lelouch accepted such a fate." C.C. leaned in and met eye-to-eye with Nunnally.

"It is because he was your brother." C.C. grinned as she spoke in a compassionate manner. "He was always the caring brother you knew. He cared so much about you that he risked his life to create a world where you can smile.

"Not only that" she continued, pulling away from Nunnally, "he had cared so much about those around him that he didn't care about what could happen to himself, so long as everyone else was happy. He cared about all of us…" As she trailed off, C.C.'s smile faded, and soon came a dim grimace.

"It is sad to say that he cared more about others than himself…The people he left behind; comrades and enemies, are basking in the peace that his death created." C.C. soon turned her gaze towards Nunnally. "None of us realized just how lonely Lelouch must've been in his life."

Nunnally glanced down at the sheets below her as C.C. continued.

"Men like him are a real pain in the ass. They never once show the weakness that they hide from others, claiming to be all right even when it could be obvious that they are suffering. But his case is worse, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it…or in your case, skim through the memories if you can."

Nunnally pondered C.C.'s words, and then closed her eyes. Soon afterwards, she mentally brought up the various memories that she had obtained from Lelouch.

"He was successful and intelligent, yet was always dissatisfied and unchallenged."

Nunnally found several memories to match C.C.'s words.

"He was devoted, yet he was constantly betraying others to protect them."

Evidence of his will soon came to Nunnally.

"He cared about the world, but was spited by the indifference of his experiences."

She felt the pain of those experiences through each memory.

"Of all the times he opened his heart, he never once was accepted."

Scenes of betrayal soon flashed across her mind.

"And only when he truly lost everything; trust, forgiveness, and love, did he truly show how human he had been in the end."

In her mind, the final moments that Lelouch had revealed the truth. Soft tears soon leaked from the corners of her eyes.

"He was a great person…it is a shame that he was quite lonely even though surrounded by those that he cared about.

"However, that can only be a speculation on my part" C.C. added shortly afterwards. She herself knew how to perceive such feelings over her years of experience. She needed no borrowed memory to understand how Lelouch worked. Of course, to her, it seemed that Lelouch always had something else that even she could not pick up; the one little detail about Lelouch that could explain his whole being, but not even after he died could C.C. figure it out.

"Being his sister, and more than likely the only one Lelouch ever cared about the most, what would you say to my claims?"

Nunnally stayed quiet for a while, still reeling from the memories that she had to remember, but soon spoke in reply.

"I understand, but can't help but to feel sad about it. My dear brother, he was always strong in my eyes, even after he became my enemy. All this time; his fights against Britannia, his unhappiness with both our lives, lying to spare my feelings, I understand it now. If only I had picked up on his sorrow sooner…If only I could've really been there for him instead of trusting his word at face value…" The tears did not stop as she continued. "He deserved much more than what I could have ever give him, more than what we all had given him. He deserves to live in this world more than any of us…"

Once again, Nunnally placed her face in her hands and sobbed. C.C. shook her head and found that she was delicately holding Nunnally in her arms. A pair of fragile arms soon wrapped around her as Nunnally buried herself into C.C.'s body, softly letting the sorrow come forth. It reminded C.C. of countless times she consoled Mao when he was a child. Petting Nunnally's hair back, she smiled to herself. In her mind, she wondered at how terrible Nunnally must've felt over the past few days. She had rarely seen such a bond between siblings, and even now it still amazed her at how strong the bond between her and Lelouch was. Sometimes, C.C. would abruptly curse the way Lelouch had acted towards everyone just for the sake of giving them happiness. However, on occasions, she'd find herself realizing that she was not the only one who suffered because of his kindness. Many other girls, such as Kallen, and even guys, such as Suzaku, all had been witnessed to Lelouch's sense of altruism.

Time seemed to fly by as C.C. held Nunnally; seconds became minutes in an instant.

When Nunnally's sobs died down, C.C. softly hugged her and smiled when she pulled back to face her. "Are you okay now?"

Nunnally wiped the rest of her tears away. "I'll be fine. It will take some time to come to terms with everything, but I'll be fine." After clearing her eyes, Nunnally spoke once more. "Tell me, did you…love my brother?"

C.C. felt surprised to hear the question. Scoffing and smirking, C.C. replied. "I don't hate him, that's for sure."

Nunnally giggled softly. "I see…Well, I know that I will always love him, for what he was and what he had done for all of us."

"That sounds great, Nunnally. Of course, you know that this is something that must always stay secret, right?"

Though Nunnally frowned, she soon nodded.

"The world must not know of this secret, especially in such a crucial time. But maybe someday…"

"When the world is finally ready for the truth?"

C.C. nodded and momentarily stared at Nunnally. Her smile made C.C. feel somewhat grateful that Lelouch had such a wonderful sister. _'Such purity' _she thought, _'maybe this peace will have a better chance if people like her are present.'_

Nunnally became confused at C.C. "What is it, C.C.?"

Swiftly waving her hand, C.C. replied. "It's nothing."

A knock soon came from the door, afterwards swinging open to reveal Zero. When the door closed, Zero approached the bed and removed his mask.

"What did you discuss with Cornelia?" asked C.C.

"Well, we talked about many things, mainly about the state that Britannia is in; also, we discussed how the empire would be rebuilt."

"And how did that go?"

Suzaku sighed. "Much of the policies will be changed to fit the needs of recovery and stability. Agriculturally, much of the resources, both importing and exporting will be changed. Economically, the monetary system will see changes as well.

"But in the case of politics, only one things needs to be established; leadership. Cornelia and I discussed at how the country needs not only a strong leader, but one that is wholeheartedly for maintaining peace."

"Who are the candidates so far?"

"Well, due to the way that Britannia was under Lelouch…" Suzaku momentarily paused; making sure that Nunnally was fine, he continued. "Well, since the policy to remove royalty and high social standings was in effect, most nobles have not been successful to fit the bill. Of course, the only representation that Britannia had been Cornelia and Schneizel, not much can be done."

"I'll do it."

Suzaku and C.C. soon turned their gazes towards Nunnally.

"Nunnally…"

"I know that I can't do much, I am not physically strong like Cornelia, nor as charismatic as Schneizel, but I will do anything that I can to keep the peace that Lelouch created alive." With a firm gaze, she glanced at Suzaku, holding out her hand. "Will you allow me to do so, Suzaku?"

For a moment, Suzaku felt amazed at how willing Nunnally was, compared to the fragile state that she was in the moment he walked into the room after arriving. Giving his hand to her, he smiled. "Very well, Nunnally."

"Thank you, Suzaku."

"Yes, well, in any case, we can discuss it with Cornelia anytime." Suzaku glanced over towards a clock upon the wall:

4:00 pm

"It's getting late" Suzaku stated as he turned to Nunnally, a soft frown upon his face.

"You have to return to Japan, right?" responded Nunnally with the same frown.

"Indeed, there are some things that have to be taken care of back home…"

Nunnally shook her head. "I understand that you are busy as well."

"This won't be the last time we will meet" Suzaku reassured Nunnally.

"I know, so until then, I will be anticipating your next arrival."

Suzaku smiled and soon approached Nunnally. The two hugged one last time before Suzaku adorned the mask of Zero. Turning towards the door, both Suzaku and C.C. started to walk. With one last goodbye to each other, both C.C. and Suzaku exited the room.

Outside, the two were met with Cornelia and Schneizel, who became their escorts on the way out. Halfway down the hall, a faint shout could be heard: "Wait!"

The group turned and saw Nunnally rushing down the hallway in her wheelchair.

"Nunnally" gasped the group. Soon afterwards Cornelia rushed to her young sister's side.

"What are you doing here?" asked Cornelia in a worried manner.

"I came to see the guests off, if that is okay with you."

Cornelia nodded in reply. "Of course, Nunnally."

With Cornelia wheeling Nunnally, the group soon headed towards the roof. On the roof, Suzaku and C.C. soon boarded the jet, waving short goodbyes to Cornelia, Schneizel and Nunnally. In return, the three siblings waved back, but none fiercer than Nunnally. When the jet had disappeared beyond their sights, the guards and Schneizel soon descended back into the castle, leaving Nunnally and Cornelia alone on the roof. Wheeling herself in position, she gazed deeply at the setting sun. Cornelia was surprised by such a drastic change in her younger sister's attitude. Joining her, she stood and gazed at the orange sky.

"Are you glad to have met with them?" Cornelia asked.

Nunnally softly nodded, a gust of wind blowing passed her. "Thank you for helping me, Cornelia." Sighing in relief, Nunnally glanced at the sky, imagining the smile that Lelouch would have had.

"The sky's so beautiful" commented Nunnally.

Cornelia smiled as she witnessed the radiant look becoming more and more apparent upon Nunnally's face. "Indeed it is…"

'_Are you watching me, brother, from wherever you may be?' _Nunnally thought to herself as she calmly gazed at the sky. _'Thanks to you, the world can finally become peaceful. I know that I will miss you quite often since I never told you how much you meant to me. I'm not alone though. I'd like to think that all of us here still miss you. We can no longer tell you how grateful we are for your sacrifice. But maybe living in this world will be the only thing that we can do to show our gratitude. If you are listening, please be at peace and watch over us as we fulfill your final wish.'_ The sun began to glow brighter than ever for Nunnally, and it was then that she knew that everything would be alright.

*Epilogue*

A few more months have passed by and soon the world had proceeded into peace. Countries all over the globe became prosperous, its people thriving on acceptance and good will. Of course, the evidence of crime and corruption still existed, however now far more minimal than before. Under the banner of unity and prosperity, the world began to shift once more into the new age of peace, brought forth from the ashes of war and strife.

In a familiar city, on the school grounds of Ashford Academy, a group of young adults stand tall.

"Of all the things to not change, the academy had to be one of them…" sighed a blue-haired male.

"My grandfather decided to keep things as it is" spoke an effervescent blonde.

"Though, didn't the gymnasium change despite that?" added a slender, green-haired girl.

"Yeah, it was converted to something else" commented a fiery red head.

"Still seems pretty much the same as it used to" muttered a tall, blonde man. "Who exactly is in charge of the Student Council? I mean surely they wouldn't allow such a thing…"

"Shut up!" shouted the blonde woman.

"Another one of your spells Milly?" questioned the blue-haired male.

"I won't allow you to bash the Student Council."

"Yeah, that's our Madam President…" 'Even though I'm technically the Council President now' muttered the blue-haired male under his breath.

"Oh Rivalz…" sighed the green-haired girl.

"Thanks for the sentiment Nina."

"You've certainly matured, Nina" spoke the red head.

"Oh, uh, thanks Kallen."

"Quite the supporter, eh Kallen? I sure do like that attitude in you."

Kallen blushed slightly. "Put a sock in it, Gino. I can't believe that you are still going to the school"

The group soon had a laugh to themselves.

"Well, everyone seems to be in a good mood today" said a soft, angelic voice.

A gasp came out as the group turned their gazes towards the source.

"Nunnally!" screamed Milly. "And Zero" added Rivalz.

"It has been so long Nunnally." Soon, Milly hugged Nunnally.

"Indeed it has Milly. Nice to meet you all again."

"Why is Milly being so informal with the Empress of Britannia?" asked Gino.

"Well, Nunnally had been a student here a few years ago" stated Nina.

"Really? Man, such a small world…"

After the initial greetings, the group soon gazed back at the school.

"It really has been a while since that day" stated Milly.

"I still can't believe at how different the world used to be back then" Gino commented.

"Everything happened because of that man…" Kallen had trailed off in her sentence. The group itself went silent when the topic came up.

"That guy…he really was something else, wasn't he?" spoke Rivalz, though only met with a piercing silence.

The silence, however, was soon interrupted by the sound of fireworks.

"Fireworks?" Nina questioned. "But who could be…"

On the rooftop, two figures could be seen preparing fireworks.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty" spoke a deep voice, belonging to Jeremiah Gottwald.

"Which is next? The blue or the red one?" spoke a much softer voice.

"Either one…" spoke the deep voice. "Anya, is it okay for you to not be down there with them?"

"It's okay, I still have the memory in my heart, so it's fine."

"I see…well then, let's set off some more."

On the ground, the group became awed by the spectacle.

Milly smirked. "It's just as he said…that man…"

"Who?" asked Gino.

"He promised that we'd be together for the next fireworks display…" started Rivalz.

"Even though we lost a few…" added Kallen.

"We are still together in spirit" concluded Nina.

"Shirley…Rolo…hope you are up there watching this…" stated Milly and soon the group fell silent.

Kallen stole a few glances at Zero and couldn't help but to smirk. Gazing back at the fireworks, she sighed and smiled. _'Hey, Lelouch…It has been a few months since that day. I still feel the sting of reality knowing that you are gone. Your plans have succeeded haven't they? The world now focuses on reconstruction and recovery. The weapons known as Knightmares are only used for show now, not for war. It still pains me to think that the blame of such chaos is constantly being thrown upon you without a care. However, this must have been planned for, right? Of course, violence and crime still are issues, but none that can jeopardize this peaceful era. Even so, we must still live on.' _

Nunnally gazed at the fireworks for the first time and felt amazed by the show. Bringing her hand up to Zero's, she trembled a bit. 'Zero' she mentally called.

'Yes' Zero replied in his own mind. _'Lelouch…it is as you said. The world has indeed become peaceful. Everyone is smiling now thanks to the efforts of the world. Nunnally, everyone of our friends, they smile contently now more than ever. I can't help but wonder if you are watching this too…somewhere far from our reach…' _More fireworks were soon sent off. _'The world has indeed changed, and now people are moving forward into the future that you gave them. I have witnessed it firsthand. Nunnally is doing great as the Empress of Britannia. Don't worry though, I have promised to keep her safe from any harm. If I can only wish for one thing, I would want you to be at peace now, for I will make sure that the world you died for, the peace that you created will not be compromised so long as I'm around.' _The sound of the fireworks echoed louder than before, signifying the start of a new age.

In the countryside of a foreign land, a lonely hay cart rides along a dirt road. Upon the top of the hay, the figure of a woman can be seen, her long green hair pushed up against a "Cheese-kun" plush toy, a pink origami crane beside a suitcase. As she gazed at the sky, her thoughts soon come to life. _'Of all the great figures in history, barely any can come close to what you have accomplish, Lelouch. Not just for the world and its people, but also, in a way, for me. As I said before, you have indeed granted my one wish. You destroyed the world and created it anew. I won't die just yet, though. It sounds preposterous, but maybe at least I'll give life one more shot. As you said, there are many experiences to be had, and I think it is about time that I do so for myself. Though, you will always remain close to my heart more than anyone, but that is just selfish, isn't it? Ever since you came into my life, or rather the other way around, I've started to feel less lonely in the world. Ironic isn't it?' _

A gust of wind blew passed her frame. "It is said that the power of Kings will cause the user to be eternally alone…Seems like that wasn't the case this time…right, Lelouch?"

The End…ギアス。

A/N: A big "Congratulations!" to me for finally completing a story (my first ever completed story on fanfiction) Yay ME!!! I would also like to thank you all, my wonderful readers, for helping me to finish this story. I will never forget your reviews (for they will always be in the review section lol) and your words of wisdom. Now onto my notes. Okay, first off, I really wanted to end the story on an even amount of chapters. I always thought about cutting this chapter into separate chapters, but it would still be on an odd-number basis. Second, if the story seemed to drag a third or even halfway into the story, then I'm sorry, but as I suggested, take a break from reading. Third, understand that this is my first ending chapter of any story. Keeping things bracing and yet still true to the story was difficult, but hopefully the characters are up to expectations, if any OOC moments can be found, just keep to yourself, or message me about any other mishaps. Also, please understand that this was the final time that any main character could get closure, so if the characters seemed more depressing overall, just do the same thing as specified with OOC comments. Hopefully you read this section before you post any reviews/comments. Lastly, if the thought comes, yes I did compile all of the after thoughts from the ending of R2 and from the sound drama episode (stage 25.01 of R2), but more or less made it my own without skewing most of the content. I wanted them to be evidence of the final acceptance of the Zero Requiem by the characters most affected. I would like to thank all of you again, and if I may say, if you find the urge to write, then do so and then refine the technique. Thank you all once again for sticking alongside this story. See you later.

A/N 2: I also found out that there will indeed be a new season of Code Geass. Really high expectations on the process and hope that the integrity is not compromised (keep Lelouch dead in my opinion, it will be better if he just remained a memory). How do you feel about it? In any case, thanks again. Goodbye to you all.


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